Speaking to reporters around 10pm Thursday as the last of the counts were coming in showing his opponent and incumbent Selina Hayat Ivy in a solid 70,000-vote lead, Shakhawat said he had been defeated due to subtle manipulations.
“I have information that subtle manipulations took place,” he told the press.
Narayanganj city corporation elections were held without a single incident of violence, a nearly unprecedented case in Bangladesh.
Neither of the candidates had raised any allegations of vote rigging during the entire day.
“I will give you details after looking at the official results from the Election Commission,” Shakhawat told reporters at the BNP election media cell on Shayesta Khan Road.
“But I have received information of rigging. In some centres, 1,000 votes were cast but Boat (Ivy’s symbol) got 800 votes and I got 500,” he added.
“I had raised questions about level playing from the beginning. This vote has proved that the Election Commission is being run under the government’s directives,” Shakhawat said.
In the final count, voter turnout in the city polls was 62.33% and Ivy had a lead of 26.88% over Shakhawat.
Thursday, June 04, 2026
