Dhaka-17 by-polls: Hero Alom to move EC to scrap results

Ashraful Hossain Alom alias Hero Alom today said he will file a written complaint to the Election Commission tomorrow to cancel the Dhaka-17 by-election results.

"The election was not free and fair. There was a lot of rigging," Hero Alom told The Daily Star this evening.

He said he has enough video evidence of irregularities.

"Awami League candidates bought votes outside the polling station for Tk 1,000 each. A woman voter alone cast 40 votes. Teenagers aged 13-15 years also cast votes. Many of those who voted not in the voters' list," he alleged.

"I have collected video footage of these incidents. I will go to the Election Commission tomorrow and ask for the cancellation of the polling results and appeal for re-election in this constituency," he said.

Asked, he said he did not visit the same polling centre twice as claimed by the DMP commissioner earlier today.

"He is complaining that I went to the same polling centre twice. it is not true."

Refuting the claim of the DMP chief that he went to polling centre without informing police, he said there were enough law enforcers posted at the polling centre where the attack took place.

"Police complained that they could not provide me security because I did not go to the polling centre taking their permission. My point is, why should I take DMP's permission again for visiting the centres? There were already security personnel posted there. Police were already deployed. So why do I need permission?" asked Hero Alom.

Talking about vote rigging, Hero Alom further said he visited many centres since the morning of the election. He claimed that he did not see more than 7-8 votes being cast in many booths till 1:00pm.

"How come so many votes were cast? How did Mr Arafat get 27,000-28,000 votes? It can't happen without rigging."

He also raised questions about the security of the polling day.

"The election commission deployed BGB outside the polling centres, but they did not get down from their vehicles. Even they did not come out to rescue me when the AL people were beating me," said Alom.

"I have spoken to my lawyer. I will prepare all the documents tonight and will complain to the Election Commission tomorrow," he added.

When asked why he was complaining now, Hero Alom said, "I was under attack? I was ill. I was at the hospital. The people of the whole country know that. It took time to recover. That's caused the delay."

Asked if he has been instigated to move the EC, Alom refuted it.

"The people of this constituency deserves a fair election," he said.

Asked about his decision to challenge the result despite his vow not to participate in any election under the ruling AL government, Hero Alom said he wants the truth to come out.

"The polls were not fair. Let the Election Commission investigate. Let the investigation report show the people how fair the election was.

"And, I will not participate in any election under this government. Apart from me, the eight other candidates will participate. I will not take part," he added.