100 candidates boycott polls
STAFF REPORTER, Dhaka
Around 100 candidates, mostly of opposition parties, boycotted yesterdays (Sundays) elections, alleging capture of polling centres, attack on their agents and supporters and forcing their agents out. Of them, all the 26 Jamaat candidates including four of its independent candidates, two Jatiya Party and two others independent candidates boycotted the polls while the election was in progress. Jatiya Oikyafront chief Dr Kamal at a press briefing claimed that the opposition candidates have individually boycotted the polls. Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Dr Shafiqur Rahman confirmed the withdrawal of its party candidates from the poll race for rigging. Many of the candidates demanded re-polling in their respective constituencies, after ensuring a level playing field for all. President of Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) and Oikyafront candidate, Andaleeve Rahman Partha, boycotted the election from the Dhaka-17 constituency at about 1:15pm, alleging manipulating of ballots, forcing out of his agents and carrying out attacks on his leaders and activists by ruling party cadres.
The opposition candidates those who boycotted the polls include Amir Ejaj Khan from Khulna-1, Rakibul Islam Bakul from Khulna-3, Azizul Bari Helal from Khulna-4, Miah Golam Porwar from Khulna-5, Abul Kalam Azad from Khulna-6, Prof Nazrul Islam from Rajshahi-5, Abu Hena from Rajshahi-4.
Talking to reporters, Abu Hena demanded postponing of elections, saying ruling party cadres had a field day, stuffing counterfeit ballots by capturing polling centres.
Gazi Nazrul Islam boycotted the election from Satkhira-4, Abdul Khaleque from Satkhira-2, Shama Obaid from Faridpur-2, Moniruzzaman Montu from Nilphamari-2, Azizul Islam from Nilphamari-3, Md Shajahan from Noakhali-4, and Fazlul Azim from Noakhali-6 constituencies.
Fazlul Azim alleged that he and his leaders and activists could not cast their votes as ruling party activists captured the polling centres.
In Sirajganj, five opposition candidates - Romana Morshed (Kanak Chanpa) from Sirajganj-1, Rumana Mahmud from Sirajganj-2, Abdul Mannan Talukder from Sirajganj-3, Amirul Islam Khan from Sirajganj-5 and Rafiqul Islam Khan from Sirajganj-6 boycotted the polls.
BNP candidate Habibur Rahman Habib boycotted the polls from the Pabna-4 constituency, Iqbal Hossein from Pabna-5, MA Khaleque from Brahmanbaria-6, Aslam Chowdhury from Chattogram-4, AHM Khalequzzaman from Mymensingh-8, Kamrunnahar Shirin from Natore-1, Sabina Yasmin from Natore-2 and Dauder Mahmud from the Natore-3 constituency.
BNP candidate Shamsuzzoha boycotted the polls from Naogaon-2, Advocate Asaduzzaman from Jhenaidah-3, Saiful Islam Firoz from Jhenaidah-4, Rezaul Karim Khan from Kishoreganj-1, Dr Saiful Islam from Kishoreganj-3, Shariful Alam from KIshoreganj-6 constituencies.
Syed Abdullah Md Taher from Cumilla-11, Md Abdul Alim from Bagerhat-1, Ali Newaz Mahmud Khaiyam from Rajbari-1, Abdul Hakim from Thakurgaon-2, Mohammad Abdul Wadud Sheikh from Bagerhat-3, Md Abu Hanif from Dinajpur-1, Anwarul Islam from Dinajpur-6, Prof Golam Rabbani from Rangpur-5, Majedur Rahman Sharker from Gaibandha-1, Abu Sayed Mohammad Shahadat Hossain from Jashore-2, Shamim Sayedee from Pirojpur-1, ANM Shamsul Islam from Chattogram-15, Shafiqur Rahman from Dhaka-15, Hamidur Rahman Azad from Coxs Bazar-2, Nurul Islam Bulbul from Chapainawabganj-3, Md Azharul Islam Mannan from Narayanganj-3, Md Mofiqul Hasan Tripti from Jashore-1, M Iqbal Hossain from Mymensingh-3, Mohammad Zakir Hossain from Mymensingh-5, Shams Uddin Ahmed from Mymensingh-6, Khurram Khan Chowdhury from Mymensingh-9, Fakhar Uddin Ahmed from Mymensingh-11, Syed Maumud Morshed from Mymensingh-10, and AHM Khalequzzaman from Mymensingh-8 constituencies.
Jatiya Party candidate Somnath Dey boycotted the elections from Bagerhat-4, and Mojibur Rahman from the Natore-2 constituency.
Independent candidate Salma Islam and Ashraful Islam Alam (Hero Alam) also boycotted the polls
from Dhaka-1 and Bogura-4 constituencies, respectively
