BNP candidate Abu Sufian has demanded re-election just four hours before the completion of Chattogram-8 by-polls.
Sufian made the demand at a press briefing held at BNP’s Nasiman Bhaban office in the city around 1pm on Monday.
He also prayed to the Returning Officer Mohammad Hasanuzzaman for re-election.
The BNP candidate claimed: “We have prayed to the returning officer for re-election and suspending voting. Polling agents were forced out of almost all the 170 polling centres.
“The voters were barred from entering the polling centres. Chhatra League and Juba League men were stuffing ballots. Therefore, we have demanded re-election.”
BNP Chattogram city chapter president and secretary Shahadat Hossain and Abul Hashem were also present at the press briefing.
Voting in the by-polls began earlier in the morning. Chattogram 8 constituency fell vacant after the death of lawmaker Moinuddin Khan Badal.
Six candidates are contesting the by-polls.
Badal, the executive president of a faction of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), was elected MP with Awami League's symbol 'boat' in the last general election.
He died at a hospital in India on Nov 7 last year at the age of 67.