BNP candidate boycotts Pabna-4 by-polls

Bangladesh Nationalist Party candidate Habibur Rahman Habib on Saturday boycotted the by-election alleging that the polls was not being held in a fair manner.

He said that two days before the election he was accused of vandalising and setting fire to two election offices of Awami League-backed candidate for Pabna-4 by-elections Nuruzzaman Biswas on Wednesday night.

Due to fear of arrest, he also could not visit any of the polling centres, Habib added.

Voting in the by-elections of Pabna-4 constituency started in the morning.

The voting is taking place in 129 centres including 84 in Ishwardi and 45 in Atghari. A total of 3 lakh 81 thousand 112 voters are expected to exercise their voting rights.

The Election Commission had taken the highest precautionary measures regarding the by-elections.

18 executive and two judicial magistrates, and eight platoons BGB, RAB and police are working to hold the elections successfully.

District returning officer, also the retuning officer, Abdul Latif Sheikh told New Age that maximum precautionary measures had been taken to avoid violence and untoward incidents.

On the day of the voting, people from other areas was not allowed to enter the constituency.

Movement of all vehicles on roads other than highways was also prohibited.

Pabna police super Sheikh Rafiqul Islam told New Age that there were armed police and Ansar at the polling stations, a mobile force for five centres, a striking force for union-based supervision, four teams led by four additional police superintendents for overall supervision, and a team led by the police superintendent.

Similar police security was ensured in Atgharia as well, he added.

Awami League candidate Nuruzzaman Biswas said that their leaders and workers were united centring the elections. The candidate was optimistic about winning a free and fair election.

BNP candidate Habibur Rahman Habib said that a free and fair election would depend on the government’s intention and only the deployment of law enforcement agencies could not ensure a fair election.

After the death of Shamsur Rahman Sharif Dilu, former land minister and the member of parliament of the constituency, on April 2, 2020, the Election Commission announced the details of the by-elections.

Ruling Awami League’s three-time elected chairman of Ishwardi upazila Nuruzzaman Biswas, Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson’s adviser Habibur Rahman Habib, and Jatiya Party’s Rezaul Karim were contesting the by-polls.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net