BNP boycotts polls in 4 dists

The opposition BNP boycotted today's upazila parishad elections in six upazilas of four districts alleging vote rigging and ouster of their agents from polling centres.

The boycott was reported from Sadar upazila in Barisal, Shibchar upazila in Madaripur, Borhanuddin and Char Fashion upazilas in Bhola and Companiganj and Kabirhat upazilas in Noakhali.

Meanwhile, local units of BNP has called a dawn-to-dusk hartal in Barisal city and Sadar upazila and Companiganj and Kabirhat upazilas of Noakhali for Sunday protesting what it termed "vote rigging" by ruling party men.

BARISAL

Enayetur Hossain Bachchu, BNP-backed candidate, boycotted the elections immediately after Mojibor Rahman Sarwar, BNP city unit president, announced the hartal when voting to 115 upazilas of the country was going on.

The BNP who had secured a comfortable position in the first-phase election of the upazila also alleged that the returning officers and the law enforcers deployed on 66 polling centres of the Barisal Sadar upazilas were exhibiting "loyalty" to the Awami League-backed candidates and were not allowing their agents to enter the polling centres. 

Meanwhile, ruling party men did not allow any agents of BNP-backed candidates to 50 polling centres out of 66 this morning, reports our Barisal correspondent quoting Sarwar.

MADARIPUR

BNP-backed chairman candidate Khalilur Rahman Chowdhury Thandu has announced his withdrawal from the race of Shibchar Upazila Parishad polls around 11:00am.

BHOLA

BNP-backed chairman candidates Anwar Bhuiyan and Alamgir Hossain Malatia boycotted the polls in Borhanuddin and Charfashion upazilas respectively.

Both the candidates alleged that ruling Awami League men rigged votes and did not allow their agents at different centres.

NOAKHALI

Local BNP called a dawn-to-dusk hartal in Companiganj and Kabirhat upazilas for Sunday after its candidates withdrew their candidacy protesting vote rigging there.