EC puts Sylhet civic poll results on hold

The BNP-backed mayoral candidate in Sylhet, Ariful Haque Chowdhury, who is leading against his Awami League (AL) opponent, has said that he would have been elected mayor of with a margin of over 100,000 votes had the poll been conducted in a free and fair manner.

The Election Commission (EC) had postponed the announcement of the poll results in Sylhet around Monday midnight as the number of votes in the two centres where voting was suspended was higher than the difference between the tallies of the two leading candidates.

Ariful was leading with 90,496 votes, while AL’s Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran received 86,870 votes in 132 centres out of the total 134.

The BNP candidate was leading by 3,626 votes, while the total number of voters in the two withheld centres was 4,787.

Under such circumstances, returning officer Mohammad Alimuzzaman postponed the announcement of the results.

Talking to The Independent, Ariful thanked the residents of Sylhet for casting their votes in his favour by defying obstacles and intimidation.

The BNP candidate said he had earlier warned that no anomalies and irregularities in voting would be tolerated in the sacred land of Sylhet, which is famous for the Sufi shrines of Hazrat Shahjalal (Rh) and Hazrat Shah Poran (Rh).

Ariful, who is waiting for the announcement of the poll results, said he condemned the dreadful acts of the ruling partymen to capture polling centres and rig the polls.

Asked if the participation of Jamaat people in the mayoral post would affect the unity of the BNP-led 20-Party Alliance, Ariful said, “Since it was a local government election, I don’t want to comment on this issue. The central leaders of the party can speak about it.”

EC puts Sylhet civic poll results on hold

The BNP-backed mayoral candidate in Sylhet, Ariful Haque Chowdhury, who is leading against his Awami League (AL) opponent, has said that he would have been elected mayor of with a margin of over 100,000 votes had the poll been conducted in a free and fair manner. The Election Commission (EC) had postponed the announcement of the poll results in Sylhet around Monday midnight as the number of votes in the two centres where voting was suspended was higher than the difference between the tallies of the two leading candidates. Ariful was leading with 90,496 votes, while ALs Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran received 86,870 votes in 132 centres out of the total 134. The BNP candidate was leading by 3,626 votes, while the total number of voters in the two withheld centres was 4,787. Under such circumstances, returning officer Mohammad Alimuzzaman postponed the announcement of the results. Talking to The Independent, Ariful thanked the residents of Sylhet for casting their votes in his favour by defying obstacles and intimidation. The BNP candidate said he had earlier warned that no anomalies and irregularities in voting would be tolerated in the sacred land of Sylhet, which is famous for the Sufi shrines of Hazrat Shahjalal (Rh) and Hazrat Shah Poran (Rh). Ariful, who is waiting for the announcement of the poll results, said he condemned the dreadful acts of the ruling partymen to capture polling centres and rig the polls. Asked if the participation of Jamaat people in the mayoral post would affect the unity of the BNP-led 20-Party Alliance, Ariful said, Since it was a local government election, I dont want to comment on this issue. The central leaders of the party can speak about it.