Mannan accompanied by BDB leaders Mahi B Chowdhury MP and Feroz M Hasan had gone to the Election Commission (EC) at around 1pm to lodge a written complaint against what they labelled as 'gross irregularities' in the parliamentary by-election.

Acting Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Safiur Rahman was not at the EC headquarters then, as he was out inspecting some of the polling centres. Waiting half an hour for the CEC, the BDB leaders entered the office of Munsef Ali to submit their complaint.

To start with, Mannan complained army men were not stationed at all the polling centres in the constituency as per the High Court directive. To that Munsef Ali replied, "But, I have seen them."

As the BDB delegates enquired where did the election commissioner see the troops, Munsef said he had seen them while inspecting the Viqarunnissa Noon School polling centre in the morning and while casting his own vote later at the Eskaton Garden centre.

At that point, Mahi claimed, "We've visited several centres and nowhere we found army men deployed." But Munsef reiterated, "The two centres I've visited, I have seen army there."

Enraged by Munsef's persistence, Mannan said, "You're telling a lie." As Mannan repeated the allegation, Munsef became furious too and countered, "You can't speak like this. It's you who is lying."

During the 10-minute quarrel that then ensued, the two accused each other of lying several times. At one stage, Munsef told Mannan, "Why are you stooping so low? Do you know who I am? Am I your competitor? I've said what I've seen. May be troops are not there now, they might have been withdrawn, what can I do if they're withdrawn later?"

At that stage, the BDB candidate told the commissioner, "You're making false statements. I did not expect it from you."

Munsef replied, "You are provoking me. I've told you what I've seen at the two centres I visited. I didn't say about all the centres."

Mahi then told Munsef, "Army men themselves told us they did not go to every centre. There was no such order for them either."

Mannan said, "I did not expect such statements from a honourable member of the Election Commission. The whole country knows troops were not there at the polling centres, while you're saying a different thing."

Munsef repeated, "I've told you about two centres, not all of them." An agitated Mannan retorted, "The very neutrality of the Election Commission will be at stake if you talk, keeping your eyes closed."

At one stage Munsef acquiesced, "It may so happen that army men were posted only at the two centres I've visited. But why should I lie? I've said what I've seen."

At the end of the hitch, the election commissioner declined to receive the BDB leaders' written complaint and asked them to submit it to the office of the acting CEC.

The BDB trio walked out of Munsef's office at 1:35pm. By that time acting CEC Safiur Rahman had also come back. His (CEC's) office received the BDB letter asking for cancellation of the by-polls at 1:40pm.