She also urged all to ignore the polls boycott announcement of the grand alliance and complete the election process to avoid any constitutional crisis.

While addressing public meetings and roadside rallies during her daylong election campaign in Gazipur and Mymensingh, the BNP chief asked all to exercise their citizens' rights by participating in the polls.

She addressed rallies on Sreepur Pilot High School ground seeking votes for BNP candidate Tanvir Ahmed Siddiqui, Bhaluka Degree College ground for BNP nominee Fakhruddin Bachchu, Kazi Nazrul Islam College ground in Trishal for Dr Mahbubur Rahman Liton and Circuit House ground at Mymensingh for Delwar Hossain Khan.

Our Mymensingh and Gazipur correspondents report, thousands gathered at the rallies in processions chanting slogans. Many turned up with sheaves of paddy, portraits of Begum Zia and late president Ziaur Rahman and colourful banners on the very first day of Khaleda Zia's election campaign.

"Awami League (AL) decided to stay away from the polls as their corrupt accomplices have been disqualified for the election," Begum Zia said urging the people to participate in the election to foil all conspiracies against the country.

Khaleda blasted Awami League for boycotting the election and observed, " People have no faith in them. They are boycotting the election because they know they could not win."

The grand alliance has turned out to be a 'great danger' for themselves and it has caused 'more loss than benefit' for the Awami League, Khaleda jokingly said.

About the cancellation of Jatiya Party Chairman Ershad's candidature, the BNP chairperson said Ershad was jailed in corruption cases in the past and is again sentenced for two years in another corruption case. "Jail is the right place for the corrupt, ..

.(he) must face punishment for corruption."

Calling Ershad corrupt and a thief, Khaleda said although the court convicted him for corruption, the grand alliance boycotted the election only when Ershad was barred from contesting the election.

Khaleda criticised the AL-led grand alliance's blockade programme on January 7-8 and alleged that they (AL) are engaged in ruining the economy of the country and turning it into a satellite state of another country.

While seeking votes for BNP candidate Delwar Hossain Khan at a rally on the Circuit House ground, Khaleda said the January 22 election is a test for democracy and constitutional rule in Bangladesh. She alerted all saying, "Conspiracy is going on to foil the election, democracy and constitution. So cast your votes on January 22 to thwart their evil designs."

"All of their (AL-led alliance) demands were already met by the caretaker government but the grand alliance suddenly quit the election race even after filing nomination papers," because they were having problems within the party after forming the grand alliance and were only looking for an excuse to get out of the race, Khaleda explained.

"Awami League and its allies are trying to create a constitutional crisis because they do not believe in democracy," she said adding that the people have isolated those who stay away from elections.