By-election Netrokona-3
AL alleges rigging
Staff Correspondent
The main opposition Awami League ( AL) yesterday questioned the credibility of Netrokona-3 by-polls held on Friday and said the BNP-led four-party ruling alliance 'snatched its (AL) victory in a new style'.This time the alliance intimidated voters and prevented them from coming to the polling stations, showed an inflated turnout of voters, cast false votes and drove AL's polling agents from polling centres to win the polls race. Activists of the BNP threatened voters particularly from the minority communities not to cast votes. The AL leaders made the allegations at a press briefing at the party's Dhanmondi office. In the past, as in the much criticised 1994 by-election in Magura, the BNP had captured polling stations to win the election, the leaders recalled. Though the voter turnout in Netrokona was 25 to 30 per cent, it was shown to be 62 per cent, AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil said. The party would meet foreign polls observers and discuss this, he said. AL President Sheikh Hasina's Political Secretary Saber Hossain Chowdhury later told The Daily Star that the party would decide its next course of action on the by-election fraud after the party chief returns from abroad today (Saturday). AL Acting President Abdus Samad Azad alleged that the government failed to ensure security of the voters. Party leaders Zillur Rahman MP, Sajeda Chowdhury, Dr Abdur Razzak MP and Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin were also present at the press conference.
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