Manna quits Dhaka-18 polls race, citing high campaign spending

Nagorik Oikko President Mahmudur Rahman Manna has withdrawn from contesting in the Dhaka-18 seat in the national election, though he remains a candidate in Bogura-2, reports bdnews24.com.
Manna announced the decision on Sunday night through a Facebook post.
Attempts to reach him by phone later were unsuccessful.
He wrote, "I am currently in Bogura. Under special circumstances, I had initially decided to contest both Dhaka-18 and Bogura-2 in the parliamentary polls. Dhaka-18 is a vast constituency, comprising seven and a half thanas and around 650,000 voters. Conducting an election here is extremely costly, which I cannot manage."
He added, "In this context, I have decided to withdraw from contesting in Dhaka-18. I understand this may disappoint some, and I express my regret to them."
Discussions with multiple political parties in Dhaka-18 indicate that financial constraints were a key factor in Manna's decision.
A senior BNP source told bdnews24.com that the party could not provide the promised support for his campaign in the capital.