The BNP has written to the Election Commission that the candidates, who contested the Dec 30 polls with its logo paddy sheaf, will submit a memorandum Thursday afternoon detailing the widespread rigging and calling for a fresh election.

BNP chief’s media wing member Shamsuddin Didar told Bangla Tribune that a letter by Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has been forwarded to the Commission on Wednesday (Jan 2).

It says that the 281 candidates will arrive at the Commission’s Agargaon offices at 3pm on Thursday to hand over the memorandum.

Apart from its own candidates, allies in the 20-party Alliance and Jatiya Oikya Front fielded candidates in the election who contested with paddy sheaf.

The Awami League is about to form a government for an unprecedented third straight term after winning the election on Sunday (Dec 30). It won 259 of 299 seats while the Grand Alliance it leads won 288 seats.

The BNP, which had boycotted the last general election in 2014 saying it would not be fair, won just five seats while its ally Gano Forum, led by Dr Kamal Hossain, won two seats.

The BNP has announced that its MPs-elect will not take oath, which is scheduled for Thursday. The Gano Forum, however, is yet to make an official announcement.

On Thursday, the paddy sheaf candidates are scheduled to a join a meeting at the BNP chief’s Gulshan offices.

According to people familiar with the matter, candidates have been told to bring a report on the overall situation of voting in their constituencies, including details like casualties, names of arrested local leaders and activists as well as proof of election rigging.

After a meeting of the Oikya Front top brass on Monday (Dec 31), its leader Dr Kamal told the media that they will submit a memorandum to the Election Commission demanding fresh polls.