Dinajpur-2

Mahbub alleges 'rigging', rejects poll results

30 December 2008, 18:00 PM

OUR CORRESPONDENT, Dinajpur

BNP standing committee member Lt. Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman, who lost in Dinajpur-2 constituency, yesterday rejected the poll results, alleging 'massive rigging'. It was part of a conspiracy to root out the major political party, he said at a press conference held at Dinajpur Press Club. The caretaker government failed to keep its promise to hold a free, fair and credible election, he said. He also claimed that some government officials in Dinajpur had earlier indicated to him about the “plot to rig the poll to defeat me and some top BNP leaders”. Elected in 2001 with BNP ticket, Mahbubur Rahman lost to Awami League's new face Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury with a margin of 48,733 votes in the just concluded poll. “The result would have just the reverse had there been a fair poll”, he said. He also alleged that his polling agents were driven out of some polling centres. Asked whether he lodged any complaint, he said he verbally informed the Deputy Commissioner (returning officer) about this. Votes were bought in many areas on the night before the poll, he alleged. He said he did massive development words during his earlier tenure.