BNP withdrew after believing there was rigging.
Bangladesh's main opposition party BNP today withdrew from the ongoing mayoral elections just hours after voting began alleging that the polls were rigged by the ruling Awami League, deepening the political crisis in the country.
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) announced the boycott of polls in the capital and northeastern port city of Chittagong, voting for which began earlier this morning.
BNP has made a comeback to electoral process after months of crippling blockade and strikes demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government and fresh polls. It has also boycotted last year's general election.
"I am announcing that we are withdrawing from the polls, we are rejecting the elections as it appeared farcical," senior BNP leader Moudud Ahmed told reporters here.
He alleged that most of BNP's polling agents were ousted from the polling centres and the voters were being allowed to cast votes only after confirming their political affiliation for the ruling party.
BNP's decision of withdrawing from the mayoral polls in Dhaka came an hour after their candidate in Chittagong and incumbent mayor of the port city Manjur Alam announced he was boycotting the elections as it was being manipulated by the ruling party activists.
"My polling agents have been ousted from different centres...I have no wish to take part in election anymore," he told a press conference in Chittgong.
Awami League, meanwhile, called the BNP's decision as part of a "pre-planned" drama with its joint general secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif saying they "boycotted the polls as they understood they are going to lose the race".
Bangladesh's troubled politics, which saw massive violence earlier this year, took a new turn as Khaleda Zia-led BNP last month decided to return to politics of ballot after nearly three months of violent protests gradually subsided.
BNP earlier boycotted last year's general elections for want of a "level playing field", fearing the polls under Prime Minister Hasina's government would not be fair.
Over 130 people were killed and about 500 suffered burn wounds in the BNP-enforced blockade earlier this year.
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