Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami on Saturday called for a recount of votes in 30 constituencies following the 13th national parliamentary election, citing alleged irregularities in the counting process.
“We will also apply to the Election Commission to postpone the oath-taking of the MPs from these seats,” said Assistant Secretary General Advocate Muazzem Hossain Helal at an emergency press conference in the evening.
The constituencies listed include Panchagarh-1; Thakurgaon-2; Dinajpur-3 and 5; Lalmonirhat-1 and 2; Gaibandha-4; Bogura-3; Sirajganj-1; Jashore-3; Khulna-3 and 5; Barguna-1 and 2; Jhalakathi-1; Pirojpur-2; Mymensingh-1, 4 and 10; Kishoreganj-3; Dhaka-7, 8, 10, 13 and 17; Gopalganj-2; Brahmanbaria-5; Chandpur-4; Chattogram-14; and Cox’s Bazar-4.
Helal claimed that, if the votes are recounted, these seats ‘would return to the 11-party alliance’.
Ehsanul Mahbub Zubayer, Jamaat’s Assistant Secretary General and head of its central publicity department, said the party has already submitted applications for the 30 seats but added that “the number may increase.”
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Abdul Mannan, Jamaat’s candidate in Dhaka-6, alleged that he had been defeated due to ‘manipulation’ during vote counting. He said he hopes the Election Commission ‘will take proper action in this regard’.