BNP leader Fayzul Karim Moyun was declared unofficially elected in the election held on Saturday.

At a joint press conference Saturday night, they called dawn to dusk hartal in the town on Sunday and Monday (May 9 and 10) demanding re-election and threatened of tougher agitation for non-compliance.

All the five chairman candidates ---Syed Mohsin Ali (AL), Al-Haj Mahmudur Rahamn (Independent), Abu Yahya Mujaheed (Nagorik Committee), Syed Hedayetullah Belal (Independent) and Hamidur Rahman Mukul (Independent) --- spoke at the press conference, held at the residence of district Awami League President Syed Mohsin Ali.

The nine commissioner candidates, district AL General Secretary Abdul Wadul and Jatiya Party (Ershad) General Secretary Syed Shahab Uddin Ahmed also attended it.

Fayzul Karim Moyun at a separate press held at the residence of former BNP lawmaker Begum Khaleda Robbani however refuted the allegation of rigging.

The defeated candidates said they faxed their written complaint to the Returning Officer as police batoned and dispersed their procession towards his office.

They also showed to newsmen a copy of the written complaint and counterfoils of ballot papers allegedly used in the rigging.

One ballot book marked GA-758 contained 100 ballot papers from No. 0075701 to No. 0075800, of which 73 were seen used. Another book marked Ga-757 contained 100 ballot papers from No. 0075601 to No. 0075700, of which 73 were used.

They blamed local BNP lawmaker M Naser Rahman, son of Finance Minister Saifur Rahman, for the alleged rigging.

The candidates alleged that the lawmaker entered five out of 12 polling centers with his supporters and forced their polling agents out. Other BNP leaders did the same in other centres.

At all the centres, BNP men snatched ballot papers and cast false votes.

Polling was peaceful at all the centres till 11 am. After that BNP men entered the centres and started rigging, they alleged.

At this, chairman candidates except Fayzul Karim Moyun made written complains to presiding officers and then marched towards the Reuring Officer's office at about 1 pm.

Barred by police and BDR, they and their supporters brought out a procession at Chowmohona Square.

Police charged batons and fired rubber bullets, injuring chairman candidate Al-Haj Mohmudur Rahamn and 10 others.

At this stage, all the chairman candidates except Moyun withdrawn their polling agents from all the centres as there was no normal atmosphere for polls, they said.

They claimed that no voter could cast vote in at least four centres.

Returning Officer ADM Matiur Rahman neither held any press briefing nor could be contacted. This correspondent tried several attempts to contact him over phone at his office.

"He is busy", was the reply from the other side.

He however told the correspondent of national daily Sangbad that polling was interrupted in 11 of the 12 centres. It was interrupted for two hours only at the Hafiza Khatun School centre.

At the press conference arranged by Fayzul Karim Mayun, M Naser Rahman MP claimed that the election was held peacefully and in a free and fair manner. Naser Rahman is also president of Moulvibazar district BNP.

He alleged that AL nominee Syed Mohsin Ali and his men tried to capture the Hafiza Khatun High School Centre but polling officials resisted them.