The counting of votes is underway after the polling in Bangladesh, and complaints are also being made by the country’s two major parties, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami.
In a press conference on Thursday night, Jamaat-e-Islami leaders appeared unhappy over the ‘delay’ in the announcement of the results.
Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shafiqur-ur-Rehman said, ‘As far as we know, the counting of votes has been completed in many constituencies and we are ahead, but the local returning officers are not making announcements, they are blocking the results, we do not know why this is happening?’
On the other hand, BNP leader Mehdi Amin accused Jamaat-e-Islami of ‘rigging and fraud’ in a press conference.
However, he said, “Despite all this, looking at the unofficial results, it seems that the party that the people love will form the government with two-thirds of the seats with public support.”
He alleged that “some candidates are being rigged to win some specific seats.”
The counting of votes is underway in Bangladesh after the 13th national election. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami have instructed their workers not to leave the polling stations until the results are announced.
The BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami have also claimed victory in the elections.
BNP Election Steering Committee Spokesperson Mehdi Amin has urged workers and supporters not to leave the polling stations until the counting of votes is completed.
He also expressed hope that the conditions will be favorable and they will win the elections.
Addressing a briefing by the 11-party alliance in Dhaka’s Mouza Bazaar, Jamaat-e-Islami Assistant Secretary General Ehsan Al-Mahboob Zubair said, “A large number of people were standing in line to vote since morning. On this occasion, the people of the city participated in the elections vigorously.”
However, the party’s briefing alleged that there were problems in some constituencies.
Jamaat-e-Islami claimed that its agents were not allowed to enter many centres in some other constituencies and were threatened.
According to the Election Commission of Bangladesh, voter turnout was 48 percent nationwide till 2 pm in the 13th parliamentary elections and referendum held on Thursday. However, the overall turnout has not been announced yet.
Chief Advisor Professor Muhammad Yunus has claimed that “this election was the most peaceful occasion in the country’s history.”
He said that “this election is a time of great joy and celebration for us. Through it, an unprecedented journey of a new Bangladesh has begun. This election was the most peaceful festival in the country’s history, if this trend is maintained, our democracy will reach its peak.”
Despite some complaints from various parties regarding the election, no major violence was reported. However, a BNP leader was reported killed in a clash between two factions in Khulna.
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