Independent candidate Tarikul quits Dhaka-17 by-polls
Just three hours after voting began, independent candidate Md Tarikul Islam withdrew from the Dhaka-17 by-elections, saying there was no environment for fair polls to take place.
"The environment is not conducive for fair polls. No election can be held in a fair manner under this government," he said after visiting the polling centre at Banani High School around 10:45am.
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Talking to The Daily Star later, Tarikul claimed his agents were driven out from polling centres and he was also physically assaulted when he visited one of the centres.
He expressed dissatisfaction saying there was lack of adequate security measures for candidates.
Monir Hossain Khan, the returning officer, told The Daily Star that no candidates other than Hero Alom, another independent candidate, made any complaints about polling agents being driven out, barred or assaulted. He added that they found no truth to Hero Alom's allegations.
The by-polls of Dhaka-17 began at 8:00am and will continue till 4:00pm without any break.
The seat became vacant after the death of film actor and member of parliament Akbar Hossain Pathan Farooque.
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