Sylhet City Corporation Mayor and BNP leader Ariful Haque Choudhury on Saturday announced that he will not contest the upcoming election scheduled for June 21.
He was addressing a public gathering at Sylhet Registry Ground, ending speculation about his candidacy amid the party's decision to boycott the election.
Addressing the crowd, Ariful said: "I embarked on my political journey with the BNP, and I will never make any decision that undermines the integrity of this party."
He said an appropriate environment for conducting fair elections does not exist.
He highlighted the lack of familiarity among the citizens of Sylhet regarding electronic voting machines (EVMs), terming them a fraudulent tool used for vote rigging.
Ariful reiterated that his party will not participate in any election under the current government.
"I have accepted this decision and boycotted the election," he said.