Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman has expressed his hopes that his party would form the government through the voters’ mandate.
“If the voting is held in a free and fair manner, we will accept the results. Others should also accept the verdict of the people,” he told reporters.
“We will overlook minor incidents, but there will be no leniency if any major irregularities occur,” he added.
Speaking to journalists after casting his vote at the Monipur High School and College polling centre in the Dhaka-15 constituency on Thursday, he added, “We hope this election will rid the country of terrorism and extortion.”
Shafiqur Rahman emphasised the importance of the media’s role in the election, saying, “The media must report accurate information, not spin the facts. The media is the fourth pillar of the state, and its impartial role is crucial in nation-building.”
He voted at 8:31am at the Monipur High School and College polling centre in the capital’s Mirpur 60 Feet area.
Voting began at 7:30am and will continue without a break until 4:30pm.
The election is being conducted across 299 parliamentary seats using transparent ballot boxes and paper ballots. However, polling in one seat (Sherpur) has been postponed due to the death of a valid candidate.
At around 4pm, in a Facebook post, he later urged vigilance against irregularities.
“Since yesterday, people courageously dispelled rumours and resisted attempts and conspiracies to occupy polling stations. From early morning, people cast their votes in a festive spirit, inspired by the aspiration to uphold justice,” Shafique said in the post.
He said, “We are deeply concerned to observe that in various parts of the country, attempts are being made to cast fake votes. In several locations, polling agents have been assaulted and injured. Women have been subjected to harassment.”
The Jamaat ameer also alleged that there were renewed attempts in some areas to unlawfully take control of polling centres.
