“No BNP agent is being allowed to enter polling stations. Awami terrorists have created a frightening situation outside voting centres, preventing the voters from entering there. Only the Awami cadres are being allowed to enter the polling stations,” said party senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

He came up with the allegation at a press briefing at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office.

Voting in the by-election to Pabna-4 constituency started at 9 am today and continued till 5pm. The seat fell vacant following the death of Awami league MP Shamsur Rahman Sharif Dilu.

Rizvi alleged that law enforcers started arresting BNP leaders and activists two days before the voting, creating panic among the voters.

“BNP leaders and activists have been evicted from the election areas in the name of police drives by filing false and fictitious cases against them in Atgharia and Ishwardi police stations,” he observed.

Besides, the BNP leader said around 20 leaders and activists of their party were arrested in the cases.

He demanded the immediate release of the arrested party men.

Rizvi protested Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud’s remark that BNP had long been maintaining good relations with the Pakistan's directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence, or ISI.

"The Information Minister’s such sudden bizarre statement has created great suspicion in the public mind. It seems his ministry is now going through turmoil,” he said.

The BNP leader said the ruling party leaders and ministers talk about conspiracy theory when they become upset having failed to face any difficulty.

“The Awami ministers have become worried due to the current political situation. Various discussions have been going on in the local and foreign media about the change of Awami League’s veteran leaders. The Information Minister has discovered the conspiracy theory to escape various speculations about the current situation,” Rizvi observed.

Also read: BNP accuses AL of obstructing its candidates in by-polls