The Election Commission yesterday decided to hold re-elections in three polling centres of Brahmanbaria-2 on January 9, as the polls there were suspended on Sunday.

In a notice, signed by EC Joint Secretary Forhad Ahammad Khan, the commission said that elections in three of the 76 polling centres were suspended following deterioration of law and order during Sunday's national election.

The centres were at Jatrapur Governmnet Primary School, Bahadurpur Governmnet Primary School and Sohagpur Governmnet Primary School.

During voting hours on Sunday, supporters of two candidates were locked in a heated argument after which voting was suspended in the three centres. The incident occurred around 11:00am.

EC officials said that the BNP candidate Abdus Sattar Bhuiyan was leading the polls in the constituency with 82,723 votes while independent candidate Moyeen Uddin bagged 72,564 votes.

The number of voters of the three centres was 10, 572, while the total number of voters in the constituency was 214,039.

BNP's rally demanding the party Chairperson Khaleda Zia's immediate and unconditional release started in front of the party's central office in Nayapaltan this afternoon.

The rally started around 2:40pm with a recitation from the Holy Quran, reports our correspondent from the spot

This is the first major programme organised by the BNP in nearly eight months.

A temporary stage has been set up in front of the party office.

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BNP rally foiled amid violence

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the chief guest of the rally, joined the programme along with other central leaders of the party.

The party's leaders and activists have taken positions in and around the Nayapaltan headquarters since noon.

Meanwhile, a large number of police and members of other law enforcement agencies have been deployed in Nayapaltan and its adjacent areas to avert any untoward situation.

Two makeshift election campaign camps of the local BNP candidate in Meherpur have been vandalised.

BNP candidate of Meherpur-2 constituency, Javed Masud Milton blamed ruling Awami League for it, our Kushtia correspondent reports.

He alleged, ruling party activists led by local UP Member Liton Hosen vandalized two of his election camps in Chatian and Bamundi areas.

He claimed, he did not get any help from police or the returning officer of the area to this end.

UP Member Liton has denied his involvement and said he did not know who were behind the attacks.

Shukumar Biswas, officer-in-charge of Gangni Police Station, said that nobody filed any complaint over the incidents.

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has fixed November 10 for hearing two leave to appeal petitions filed by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia challenging the High Court verdict that doubled her five-year jail term in Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case.

Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division Justice Md Rezaul Haque yesterday set the date after Khaleda's lawyer Kayser Kamal prayed for that.

Khaleda filed the leave to appeal petitions with the Appellate Division on March 14, 2019 through his lawyer challenging the HC verdict.

In the petitions, the former prime minister prayed to the apex court to scrap her 10-year sentence.

Khaleda landed in jail on February 8, 2018, after a special court in Dhaka sentenced her to five years in jail in connection with the case.

Subsequently, a petition was filed by the ACC, following which the HC on October 30 increased the punishment to 10 years' imprisonment.

Yesterday, the HC allowed Khaleda to prepare paper books for hearing her another appeal against a lower court judgement that convicted and sentenced her to seven years' imprisonment in Zia Charitable Trust corruption case.

BNP candidates of Dhaka-4 and Dhaka-19 constituencies are fearing further attacks on their campaigns and activists.

They both complained of inaction from the authorities despite repeated complaints, they claimed at separate press conferences today.

Dhaka-4 candidate Alhaj Salauddin Ahmed held a press conference in his Shyampur residence, alleging of police threats to his supporters.

Expressing fear for his life and family, he alleged law enforcers are continuing drives to arrest and harass the opposition leaders and activists.

“Several times I have lodged complaints to the Election Commission in this regard but did not get any response,” he said.

Dhaka-19 candidate Dr Dewan Mohammad Salauddin Babu alleged police, with help of ruling Awami League activists, are carrying out mass arrests of BNP activists.

He claimed arrests of at least 19 top BNP activists in the locality and attack and vandalism of BNP’s campaign offices in the area.

Fearing further vandalism, he said he has halted the election campaign for a few days. He too alleged of authorities’ inaction despite repeated complaints.