The Jatiya Oikyafront yesterday demanded that the Election Commission immediately scrap the “farcical election” and hold a fresh one under a nonpartisan interim government.

“We reject this so-called result. At the same time, we demand fresh polls under a nonpartisan government,” Oikyafront leader Dr Kamal Hossain said at a press conference at his house in the capital.

Reading out a written statement, the eminent jurist said the news of “vote robbery” came from almost all constituencies.

Responding to a query from a journalist, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said yesterday's election proved that free and fair polls were not possible under a partisan government.

“This also proves that our decision to boycott the parliamentary elections in 2014 was right.”

Kamal said the Oikyafront would hold a meeting today to devise its strategy. The alliance's ongoing movement “to institutionalise democracy” would continue, he added.

Apart from the Oikyafront, the Left Democratic Alliance, comprised of eight left-leaning parties, and the Ganasamhati Andolon rejected the polls and demanded a reelection.

51 BOYCOTT POLLS

As many as 49 BNP and two independent candidates boycotted polls during voting yesterday, bringing allegations of vote rigging, stuffing ballots and forcing polling agents out of centres by the ruling party men.

Other allegations include capturing of polling stations by AL men, rigging votes and barring voters from exercising their franchise.

However, the BNP didn't boycott the polls as a party.

Out of the 49 candidates, 22 are Jamaat leaders who ran on BNP's ticket.

In some districts, almost all the opposition candidates boycotted the polls. In Bagerhat, all four BNP nominees abstained from the election.

Eight out of 11 BNP candidates in Mymensingh boycotted the election. In Khulna, five out of six BNP and Oikyafront candidates opted to stay out.

Faridpur and Jhenidah saw three out of four BNP nominees boycotting the polls in each of the districts.

Jamaat leader Mia Golam Parwar, who ran on BNP's ticket in Khulna-5, first announced that he was boycotting the election over “barring voters from entering polling centres, arresting his party men and the returning officer's inaction”.

Around the same time, Shama Obayed boycotted the polls in Faridpur-2 alleging that AL men stuffed ballots in 100 out of 123 polling centres on Saturday night.

“My polling agents went to the polling centres, but they were forced to leave the centres by police and ruling party men,” the BNP nominee told The Daily Star.

Shama also said she even didn't cast her own vote in protest.

In Dhaka-1, independent candidate Salma Islam boycotted the polls around noon.

Speaking at a press conference at her house in Nababganj's Jamarkhola area, she said she stayed out of the election as it was “rigged”.

Andaleeve Rahman Partha, BNP candidate for Dhaka-17, boycotted the polls around 2:00pm citing that some 600 of his polling agents were forced out of the centres and assaulted by AL men.

JAMAAT BOYCOTTS POLLS

Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami in a press statement yesterday said its leaders, who contested the polls with “sheaf of paddy”, boycotted the election.

Terming the election “a farce”, it demanded cancellation of the polls.

BNP's Mirza Abbas and his wife Afroza Abbas boycotted the polls in Dhaka-8 and 9 alleging that voters were deprived of casting their votes. The couple also refrained from exercising their franchise.

Speaking at a press conference at his Shahjahanpur home, Abbas said, “Such an election is not needed in the country in which people cannot cast their votes. We are rejecting the election result.”

Independent candidate in Kurigram-4 Imran H Sarker, also spokesperson of Ganajagaran Mancha, alleged that AL men were casting fake votes in Chilmari's Nayarhat and Astamir Char areas.

COMPLAINT LODGED WITH EC

Around noon, a BNP delegation in a written complaint informed the EC that its polling agents were obstructed from entering polling centres in 221 constituencies.

“Our polling agents are being intimidated and obstructed from entering voting stations. In some cases, they are being driven away from the polling stations or being arrested,” BNP Joint Secretary General Moazzem Hossain Alal, who led the delegation to the EC, told reporters.

He said they received the information from reliable sources. There were similar complaints from other constituencies as well, but those came from unconfirmed sources, he added.

Alal alleged that AL activists were committing irregularities with the help of law enforcers.

The BNP submitted the complaint, signed by party National Election Conducting Committee Chairman Nazrul Islam Khan, to the chief election commissioner.

Alal said voters were not being allowed to enter polling stations in many places and women were being asked to vote for AL candidates.

The party also accused the AL of stamping ballots the night before the polling day in more than half of the 299 constituencies.

“Ballots were being stamped with the help of law enforcement agencies and polling and administration officials,” the BNP said in its complaint.

A nine-member delegation of Gonoforum has joined dialogue with Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at State Guest House Jamuna.

The team led by Gonoforum emeritus President Dr Kamal Hossain entered Jamuna around 3:00pm today, reports our correspondent from the spot.

Several other political parties are also scheduled to sit with the chief adviser later in the day.

Different issues like political and state reform and next election may come in their discussion.

Leaders of BNP, Jamaat, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, six parties each from Ganatantra Mancha and Baam Gonotantrik Morcha platforms held dialogues with Prof Yunus at Jamuna on October 5.

The High Court (HC) today directed the returning officers to receive and scrutinise nomination papers of three aspirants of Dhaka-16 and Kishoreganj-1and Kishoreganj-2 constituencies in 12 hours.

The candidates are Sadakat Khan Sakku (independent) for Dhaka 16, Md Azharul Islam (Gonoforum) for Kishoreganj-1 and M Shafiur Rahman Khan Bachchu (Gonoforum) for Kishoreganj-2 constituency.

The HC bench of Justice Tariqul Hakim and Justice Md Suhrawardy passed the order following three writ petitions filed by the aspirants.

The three candidates,in the petitions, said that they went to the returning officers of the concerned constituencies to submit their nomination papers on November 28 but the ROs did not receive their nominations saying they were delayed in submitting the papers.

They filed the petitions seeking HC directives upon the returning officers to receive and scrutinise their papers.

WHEN IS THE ELECTION?

Election Commission has revised polls schedule, deferring the 11th general election by a week to December 30 – a decision taken in November.

As per the schedule, November 28 was the deadline to submit nomination papers, December 2 was the date for scrutiny and December 9 the last date for withdrawal.

Throughout the last half of November, major political parties were busy selecting their chosen candidates for the 300 constituencies across Bangladesh.

It is the moral responsibility of all political parties and citizens to give the interim government reasonable time and full support, said Dr Kamal Hossain, emeritus president of the Gono Forum.

"The national consensus achieved on this issue must be preserved. To ensure this, a national dialogue involving all pro-democracy political parties, citizens and civil society is crucial," he said yesterday.

He was speaking at the Gono Forum's 7th national conference, held at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh. Presiding over the event, he expressed hope that the leaders and activists of the party would set aside internal disputes and unite to embark on a new journey through the national council.

"The people, especially the youth, have once again proven that this country does not belong to any autocratic ruler. It belongs to the people," Dr Kamal remarked.

Amir Khashru Mahmud Chowdhury, a member of the BNP's National Standing Committee, attended the Gono Forum council as a special guest. "There is no need to worry about reforms. We will bring about the necessary changes."

He said that collaborators of the deposed autocratic government have resumed their activities to destabilise Bangladesh through various means.

"From Ansar protests to issues involving minorities and even battery-run auto-rickshaws -- attempts are on to create unrest in the country," he said.

Khashru called for collective efforts to restore democratic governance. "We're fully supporting the interim government and intend to continue doing so. Peaceful transfer of power through this interim government is the only path to return to democracy."

He also talked about recent protests outside the Deputy High Commission of Bangladesh in Kolkata, the capital of India's West Bengal state.

"There was no reaction in Bangladesh, which demonstrates the strength and resilience of our nation. Unlike others, the people of Bangladesh do not engage in such acts. This is the Bangladesh we aspire to build."

Mujahidul Islam Selim, former president of the communist party of Bangladesh; Nazmul Haque Pradhan, general secretary of Bangladesh JaSad, and Saiful Haque, general secretary of the Bipobi Workers Party, also spoke at the programme.

After the opening session of the council, the Gono Forum announced an 151-member partial committee, keeping Dr Kamal  as emeritus president.

Mostafa Mohsin Montu was made president and Mizanur Rahman general secretary of the party.

Stating that the low presence of voters in the recent city polls is an “ominous sign” for the nation, Jatiya Oikyafront convener Dr Kamal Hossain today said the two mayors-elect of Dhaka north and south city corporations were not elected by majority of the voters.

Talking to reporters after a steering committee meeting of the alliance at his Motijheel chamber, the veteran politician also alleged that the government has destroyed the entire election process with its “irresponsible and anti-constitutional acts”.

“They [two mayors-elect] can’t be called mayors elected with majority people’s votes,” he said in reply to a question.

In a written statement, Dr Kamal, also the president of Gonoforum, said the country’s people, including the young generation, have expressed their “no-confidence” in the government, the Election Commission and the election process in the recently-held Dhaka city polls.

“The mayors-elect got the verdict of only 5-7 percent people. The remaining results are made through fake votes cast through EVMs,” he observed.

The Oikyafront chief also said democracy in the country, the rule of law and electoral system have been destroyed by the AL government which does not want voters to go to polling stations. “They intimidate the voters."

He said people did not go to polling stations as they think this government would not be changed with their votes. "It’s an ominous sign both for the country and the nation.”

Dr Kamal also said people are losing interest in voting as an awful situation has been created in the country due to the government’s unconstitutional acts. “The country can’t be run this way. We must bring a change together with people.”

He said the people of Bangladesh never accepted autocracy and they will not do it now either as they are very conscious.

Replying to a question about the inaction of Jatiya Oikyafront leaders, he said they do politics depending on people who are the sources of power. “We’ll do whatever necessary to encourage people. We’ll of course hold rallies, meetings and take out processions, if necessary, to bring a change together with people.”

The Oikyafront chief also said the country’s people achieved their targets and brought positive changes in the past with united efforts. “There’ll be no exception to that this time, too.”

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal president ASM Abdur Rob, BNP standing committee member Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Gonoforum executive president Subrata Chowdhury, presidium member Mohsen Rashid and Gonoshasthya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury were, among others, present.

Awami League candidates Fazle Noor Taposh and Atiqul Islam were elected mayors of Dhaka south and north city corporations respectively in the elections held on Saturday.