"It was one of the fairest polls ever held since independence. Voters cast their votes with great enthusiasm without any fear," said BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan.

Speaking at a press conference at his Baily Road official residence yesterday afternoon, he said the government at the request of the Election Commission deployed a class one officer and a class one magistrate in each polling centre alongside army, paramilitary BDR, police and ansars to maintain law and order.

As a result, no untoward incident was reported and the election was held peacefully. "Even a large number of Awami League leaders who stayed in the constituency for the last few days could not raise any allegation about the polls," he added.

Replying to a question, he said the AL calls polls fair when it wins but terms the same unfair and rigged when it loses. "After defeats in the 1991 general elections, the AL alleged subtle rigging and in 2001, it claimed the polls to have been overtly rigged. Now it is trying to say the by-election was invisibly rigged. But it termed the 1996 national election fair because it won it."

He said the AL held a press conference prior to the end of voting at Tarabo municipality and rejected the ballot, but after counting it found that the AL candidate had won.

The AL called a press conference at 9:30pm at the Netrakona Press Club Thursday night, but called it off as it did not receive any complaint from any place of the constituency, he added.

Bhuiyan, who is also the LGRD and co-operatives minister, said it is not true that the minorities could not cast their vote in the by-polls. There is no instance or allegation of obstruction to voters going to the polling centres, he added.

About the low turnout of voters, he said usually the voters' turnout is above 80 per cent, but the percentage of voters was nearly 63 in the by-elections. "There was no long queue in Kendua-Atpara because there were large numbers of polling centres and booths and the voters cast their votes without any delay."

On the defeat of the AL candidate, Bhuiyan said the AL candidate was defeated in the last two general elections in the constituency and there were rifts within the party.

The BNP secretary general, however, thanked the main opposition party for participating in the polls and hoped that it would join the Jatiya Sangsad session.

He thanked the people of Kendua-Atpara for electing the BNP nominee. He also thanked the EC officials, troops, law-enforcement agencies and others concerned for ensuring a free, fair election.

State Minister for Home Lutfozzaman Babar, Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal President Nazrul Islam Khan and BNP central leader Ahmed Musa were present at the press conference.