31 candidates withdraw from race

Thirty one candidates, including from two alliance partners of the ruling Awami League, boycotted yesterday's polls alleging vote rigging by their rivals.
Among the candidates, four were from AL, nine from Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD-Inu), one from Workers Party, three from Jatiya Party (Ershad), AL's former ally in the grand alliance, two from JP (Manju) while the rest were independent candidates.
In Sylhet, two rebel candidates of AL boycotted the election, alleging large scale rigging by the ruling alliance's candidates in the district.
They are former upazila parishad chairman Muhibur Rahman of Sylhet-2 and organising secretary of the USA unit of AL, Faruque Ahmed, of Sylhet-4.
Two rival AL candidates -- Shaheed commissioner of Dhaka-6 and Engineer Monowar Hossain Chowdhury of Gaibandha-4 -- also boycotted the polls.  
From JSD (Inu), Afzal Hossain Khan Joki of Manikganj-1 and Sadekul Islam of Lalmonirhat-1 constituencies boycotted the elections.
Afzal and Sadekul alleged that their polling agents were forced out of the polling centres after their advance signatures were taken on the result sheets.
Abul Kalam Azad, officer-in-charge of Shibalaya Police Station, had assisted in casting fake votes in favour of AL candidate Naimur Rahman Durjoy, Afzal alleged.
Sadekul also alleged vote rigging by former state minister for primary and mass education Motahar Hossain and his party men.
Robindranath Soren, a Workers Party candidate for Dinajpur-6 constituency; Anwarul Kabir alias Rintu, central publicity secretary of JP (Ershad) from Feni-3; Nasir Uddin from Jhalakathi-1; MM Anwar Hossain from Gazipur-4; Farid Uddin and Kazi Mamun-ur-Rashid from Bramhanbaria-3 and 5, Sirajul Islam from Chittagong-12, Taha-Yahiya from Cox's Bazar-4, Khorshed Alam from Sherpur-3, Golam Kibria Tipu from Barisal-3; Shankar Paul and Atiqur Rahman from Habiganj-2 and 3, Jatiya Party (Manju)-backed candidate advocate Babor Ali from Jamalpur-5 and Rashida Karim from Khulna-2,  boycotted the polls, bringing similar allegations against their rivals.
The independent candidates who boycotted the polls, are: Ekhlas Uddin Mollah of Dhaka-15, Sabina Akhter of Barisal -2, Abul Hossain Sikder of Barguna -2, Shaheed Uddin and Azad Uddin Chowdhury from two constituencies in Laxmipur, Aziz Ahmed Hassan and Atikur Rahman Luis of Jamalpur-1 and 2, Nayeb Ali Joarder of Jhenaidah-1, Dr Shawkat Ali of Narayanganj-1, Amirul Islam Amir of Noakhali-6, Ataur Rahman of Sirajganj-5, Badiuzzaman Badsha of Sherpur-2.
Meanwhile, Abu Sayeed, a rival AL candidate, brought allegations of vote rigging against former state minister for home Shamsul Haque Tuku at several polling centres in Pabna-1 constituency.
He demanded cancellation of the voting results of 52 centres and re-election there.
Ruling AL men allegedly cast false votes at some polling centres in Kotwali area under Chittagong-9 and 11 constituencies.
Motaleb Khan, younger brother of AL candidate Abdul Mannan Khan of Dohar-Nawabganj constituency under Dhaka district, allegedly forced voters to cast their ballots in favour of his brother, locals said.