Cumilla-4: BNP-backed candidate boycotts polls, Hasnat thanks women voters for 'revolutionary' turnout

BNP-backed and Gono Odhikar Parishad candidate Md A Jasim Uddin today (12 February) announced his boycott of the polls in the Cumilla-4 (Debidwar) constituency.

"Our polling agents were driven out. We repeatedly requested the administration, but they did not respond. Therefore, I am boycotting the election," Jasim Uddin said during a Facebook Live around 5pm.

Jasim claimed that incidents of irregularities, vote rigging, and ballot box snatching took place in unions, including Barashalghar, Yusufpur and Rasulpur.

Former four-time lawmaker Manzurul Ahsan Munshi was disqualified from the polling due to loan default and was later expelled from his party over repeated allegations of arrogant behaviour. Subsequently, the BNP extended its support to Gono Odhikar Parishad candidate Jasim Uddin in the constituency.

One of his main rivals in the seat is Hasnat Abdullah, chief organiser (South) of the National Citizen Party (NCP), who is contesting as a candidate of the Jamaat-led 11-party alliance.

Earlier in the day, Hasnat expressed gratitude to women voters of Debidwar for what he described as their spontaneous participation in the election.

Speaking in a Facebook Live around noon, he said the turnout of women voters has created a "revolution" in the constituency.

"The participation of women voters in Debidwar and their conscious enthusiasm to cast votes has brought about a revolution. My mothers and sisters in the area have made this revolution happen," Hasnat said.

He said while some men may have had political differences, women played a key role in bringing them to polling centres today.

Addressing voters in Debidwar, Hasnat said that young voters have shown notable enthusiasm, with college and university students, along with people from various professions, turning out at polling stations.