At least 200 van drivers, who took part in the election campaign for Natore-4 AL candidate Siddiqur Rahman Patwari,  blocked Natore-Pabna highway for not getting money allegedly as per a contract. Van drivers alleged that Lutfor Rahman, the coordinator of the candidate and Ward No. 8 councilor of Bonpara municipality, hired 200 vans for 500 taka each to participate in the campaign of Natore-4 AL candidate Siddiqur Rahman Patwari. Leaflet distribution: Police, AL men clash with BNP activists in Natore, 7 hurt After the whole day of campaigning, the van drivers were gathered in a school ground in the afternoon to take their wages. When they were paid Tk100 per driver, they got angry. The agitated van drivers also started beating the councilor and his people.  The councilor and his men, however, managed to save them by entering  a classroom of the school. Natore-4: Independent candidate's supporters injured in alleged attack by AL activists Later, the van drivers blocked the Natore-Pabna highway around 6 pm, halting traffic movement on the road. On information, police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control after half an hour. Miscreants vandalise election camp of independent candidate in Natore The situation is now normal, said Sirajul Islam, inspector (Investigation) of Bonpara Police. Councilor Lutfor said that there were some problems while paying the money but it was resolved later.

Ruling Awami League candidate Mahmud Hasan Ripon on Wednesday demanded publication of results of those polling centres where voting went unperturbed despite suspension of the entire election at Gaibandha-5 parliamentary seat by the Election Commission (EC). The EC on Wednesday cancelled the by-election following allegations of vote rigging and intimidation.  “The EC has cancelled the by-election for mysterious reasons. Results of those polling centres where voting went smoothly must be published while re-election has to be conducted at those polling centres where voting was suspended,” Ripon told a press briefing held at the Bonapara AL office premises following the EC decision. Meanwhile, the voters protested against the EC’s decision to suspend the election. They demanded that the EC officials, including the Chief Election Commissioner, be withdrawn and punished. The EC had set October 12 for holding the by-election of Saghata-Fulchari parliamentary seat, or Gaibandha-5. Although the polling began peacefully at 8:00am, allegations of vote rigging and intimidation started to spread within a very short time. The CEC said widespread ‘malpractices’ prompted them to cancel the entire election. Read: Gaibandha-5 by-election cancelled over 'malpractices' Independents and other candidates started boycotting the election, alleging that the polling centers have been occupied by activists of the ruling party. By 1:00pm, voting at all the polling stations was stopped by the EC. “The Gaibandha-5 by-election has gone out of control,” the CEC told reporters at the Election Commission headquarters in Dhaka.  “We’ve noticed from the start that malpractices were taking place and illegal entries were being made at the secret places (booths),” he said.   Upon hearing about the cancellation, voters who couldn’t cast their votes rallied against the EC’s decision. Some cordoned off the Saghata Upazila Parishad and burned effigies of the CEC in front of the office of Fulchari Upazila Nirbahi Officer.

Awami League candidate Habibur Rahman Habib won the Sylhet-3 by-polls on Saturday, beating his nearest rival Jatiya Party’s Atikur Rahman Atik by a huge margin. According to official results Habib bagged  90,064 votes in the constituency comprising three upazilas of Dakkhin Surma, Fenchuganj and Balaganj. Atik got only 24,752 votes. Sylhet Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer Kazi Emdadul Islam announced the results at 9:15 pm on Saturday. Apart from these two candidates, BNP rebel Alhaj Shafi Ahmed Chowdhury got 5,136 votes and Junaid Md Mia of Bangladesh Congress got 640 votes.