Ershad’s nephew, BNP reject result

BNP’s Rita Rahman and independent candidate Shahriar Asif, who is HM Ershad’s nephew, have rejected the results of the by-election to Rangpur-3 constituency, bringing allegations of vote rigging.

Ershad’s son and Jatiya Party candidate Saad Ershad won the by-polls on Saturday. Saad bagged 58,878 votes while his nearest rival Rita secured 16,947 votes, according to election officials. Asif bagged 14,984 votes.

Returning Officer GM Sahatab Uddin said the turnout was 21.30 percent.

Speaking at a press conference at her residence in the town’s Radhaballab area the same night, Rita alleged that the Election Commission has once again proven it is not a nonpartisan organisation.

“The voter turnout was around 12 percent. How did it reach 22 percent within 5pm? Who cast the extra ballots?” she asked. “We are rejecting the results,” she said.

She said the results were pre-determined. “On Friday night, police conducted raids at the residences of BNP leaders and activists, which created panic among them. Also, voter turnout was low as people did not exercise their franchise enthusiastically as they knew it will not be a free and fair election,” she further alleged.

In the 2018 national election, Rita got 53,089 votes. She lost to Saad’s father and late JP Chairman HM Ershad. Rangpur-3 (Sadar upazila) constituency fell vacant after Ershad died on July 14.

Meanwhile, at another press conference on Saturday night, Asif claimed that he was ahead of Saad during the counting of votes. “But suddenly he was announced the winner,” he added. The meeting was held at Asif’s Senpara residence.

Contacted, the returning officer refuted the allegations. “Voting was peaceful… there was no report of violence or rigging,” he told The Daily Star yesterday.

Asked about the police raid, Sajedur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Rangpur Sadar Station, also denied the allegations. He, however, said, “Even if there was a raid, it had nothing to do with the election.”

It was part of an ongoing drive against corruption, drugs and other criminal activities, the OC added.

The voting started at 9am and continued till 4pm. A total of 94,006 out of 4,41,224 voters cast their ballots at 175 centres. Six aspirants from different political parties contested the by-polls.

Besides Saad, Rita and Asif, Kazi Mohammad Shahidullah of Gono Front got 1,662 votes; Touhidur Rahman Mondal of Khelafat Majlish bagged 924 and Shafiul Alam of National People’s Party got 611.

Rangpur is known as a stronghold of JP. Ershad became lawmaker from there in the national elections in 1991, 2008, 2014 and 2018. His widow Raushan Ershad and brother GM Quader were also elected lawmakers from the district.