BNP's Tulee demands suspension of Dhaka-14 results over rigging allegations

Sanjida Islam Tulee, BNP-nominated candidate for Dhaka-14 constituency, has alleged widespread irregularities and administrative non-cooperation in 13th National Parliament election, demanding that results of the constituency be suspended.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, she questioned the transparency of the election and called for immediate halt of all results related to Dhaka-14 seat.

Tulee claimed that from the morning of polling day, a section of the administration failed to act impartially. She alleged that after noon, polling agents were physically assaulted with administrative backing and forcibly removed from polling centers.

She further alleged that late on February 11, representatives of a rival candidate; who contested with Daripalla symbol; engaged in financial transactions with presiding officers and distributed money among voters. 

She claimed that her camp possesses video evidence supporting these allegations.

According to her, polling agents were made to sign result sheets even before vote counting began. She also accused authorities of deliberately delaying the announcement of results in Dhaka-14 and said that in several centers, ballot papers were sent directly to Election Commission without publicly declaring the results.

Describing the situation as an injustice not only to her as a candidate but to the entire democratic process, she said the fundamental principles of transparency and neutrality had been severely violated.

In Dhaka-14 constituency, Mir Ahmad Bin Quasem, a candidate of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, was unofficially declared the winner. He is the son of late Jamaat leader Mir Quasem Ali.

Mir Ahmad Bin Quasem secured 101,113 votes, while his closest rival, Sanjida Islam Tulee of BNP, received 83,323 votes.