Voting underway in Naogaon-2 constituency

A total of four candidates are vying for the parliamentary seat, which has around 350,000 registered voters

Voting in the general election at Naogaon-2 constituency, which was delayed after the death of a candidate, is underway.

Voting began on ballot papers at 8 am on Monday at 124 polling centres in the constituency, which has around 350,000 voters. Polls will close at 4 pm.

Balloting began at every centre at the designated time and no irregularities have been reported so far, an election official said, stating the voter turnout was low at the start of the day.

Polls were to open in all 300 parliamentary seats on Jan 7, but the Election Commission deferred the polls for Naogaon-2 after Aminul Haque, a 75-year-old independent candidate, passed away under hospital care in Dhaka on Dec 29. Voting was held at 299 seats out of 300 on election day.

EC Deputy Secretary Md Atiar Rahman said the commission is prepared to hold a smooth election in the constituency, which consists of the Dhamoirhat and Patnitala Upazila.

The four candidates vying for the seat are Awami League nominee and incumbent MP Shahiduzzaman Sarker, Tofazzal Hossain of the Jatiya Party, and HM Akhtarul Islam and Md Mehedi Mahmud Reza, who are running as independent candidates.

Sixteen police and Ansar personnel have been deployed at every centre while 17 security officers have been sent to crucial centres to maintain law and order.

The presiding officers received the voting materials from the office of the assistant returning officer on Sunday. The voting materials were taken to designated centres amid tight security.

The ballot papers and seals were taken to the polling centres by 5 am, said the district’s Returning Officer and Deputy Commissioner Golam Mawla.

Around 31 units of police, APBn and Ansar and seven strike forces have been deployed to ensure security in the constituency. Four RAB teams and eight BGB platoons, along with the district’s executive and judicial magistrates, are also assigned to the by-poll.