Hero Alom’s allegations baseless: election commissioner

Election Commissioner Rashida Sultana today rejected the vote counting allegations brought by Bogura-4 independent candidate Ashraful Hossain, alias Hero Alom, saying those have no basis.

Rashida while talking to reporters at her EC office said the returning officer, as well as district election officer, informed the commission that the results were 100 percent correct.

Hero Alom lost the Bogura-4 (Kahalu-Nandigram constituency) by-polls to ruling Awami League-led grand alliance candidate AKM Rezaul Karim Tansen by just 834 votes yesterday.

After the announcement of the results, Hero Alom alleged that the results were rigged and he would go to the High Court to seek justice.

"There is no basis to his allegations of changing the results," Rashida said.

She said Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal has spoken with the deputy commissioner of Bogura, also the returning officer, in this regard.

When asked whether she would investigate the election results, Rashida said they are satisfied with them.

"We've seen the results sheets ourselves. There is no discrepancy there. When a candidate loses, he or she makes some allegations to make the elections questionable. This is the culture of our country and Hero Alom is no exception," she said.