Hero Alom says he will not run again under current government

Dhaka-17 bypoll independent candidate and social media star Ashraful Alom aka Hero Alom has boycotted the election after being attacked while leaving the polling centre.

Alom says he will not contest in another political race under the current government, reports bdnews24.com.

“The whole nation has seen how they attacked me,” he said in a press conference from his home in Rampura on Monday.

“The mainstream media were there. It is clear from this attack on me that this election was not fair. This is not the first time I have been attacked, they attacked me in 2018 as well. They planned to beat and kill me.”

“They planned out the attack from this morning. They were waiting for an opportunity. They did not lay a hand on me while we visited different centres throughout the day. But, when we went to the last centre, we saw they were stamping ballots.”

“When we tried to apprehend them, they threw me out. The police were there and I told them they didn’t let me in.”

“As I was leaving through the gate, someone pushed me. I asked him, ‘Why did you push me?’. Then they started beating me and my agents.

“When I fell to the ground after being beaten, they kicked and punched me. They hit me on the head. I got up and they kept hitting me and chased me away. How fair can such an election be?”

Asked whether he had entered the polling centre with some YouTubers, Alom said: “The police do not allow three or four people to enter, so how would we get in?”

He said he will send letters about the attack to the European Union, the US embassy, and any other places where it is necessary.

VOTING PEACEFUL DESPITE ATTACK: ELECTION COMMISSIONER

Election Commissioner Md Alamgir says voting in the Dhaka-17 bypoll proceeded ‘peacefully’, describing the attack on Alom as an incident ‘that occurred outside the polling centre’.

The commissioner made the statement to the media in front of the Election Commission building after polls closed on Monday.

“The election was fair and peaceful,” he said. “This morning I went to inspect 8-10 polling centres myself and saw that things were peaceful. Another election commissioner accompanied me.”

“Voting was peaceful at all centres. We watched it on the CC cameras. There were some municipal polls outside Dhaka. All of them were fair.”

When asked about the attack on Alom, Alamgir said, “Voting took place at 124 polling centres. An isolated incident in one location doesn’t make it an unfair election.”

“We have received some information about the attack on the independent candidate, but we don’t have the whole picture. From what we know, the independent candidate tried to enter the polling centre with many supporters. He was accompanied by nearly 70 YouTubers.”

That is why police turned Alom away from the centre, he said.

“Police explained the situation to them and sent them away. This means there was no incident at the polling centre. But as he reached the street, he was pushed and physically assaulted.”

“We do not condone this. It is an offence. The police have arrested one person. They have been instructed to find those involved and take action.”