All set for parliamentary by-polls to Ershad’s Rangpur-3 seat

The Election Commission has completed preparations for by-election to the Rangpur-3 parliamentary seat, which was vacated after the death of Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 4 Oct 2019, 08:37 PM
Updated : 4 Oct 2019, 08:37 PM

Electronic voting machines will be used in all 175 centres from 9am to 5pm on Saturday.

More than 400,000 voters will elect their representative to parliament from the candidates of the Jatiya Party, the BNP, the Khelafat Majilsh, the Gono Front and two independents.

The Jatiya Party has picked Ershad’s son Rahgir Al Mahi, better known as Shad Ershad, to run with plough symbol.

Ershad’s nephew and former MP Hossain Moqbul Shahriar Asif is contesting independently with motorcar symbol after failing to secure the party ticket.

Rieta Rahman, daughter of Mashiur Rahman Jadu Mia, a member of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman’s cabinet, is the party’s candidate contesting with its paddy sheaf symbol.

NPP’s Shafiul Alam is expecting to woo votes with mango symbol, Khelafat Majish’s Touhidur Rahman Mandal with wall clock symbol and Gono Front’s Kazi Md Shahidullah Bayezid with fish symbol.

Only Asif and Touhidur are voters of the constituency. The others will be allowed to visit the polling stations.

The by-election lost much of the heat when the ruling Awami League withdrew its candidate Rezaul Karim Razu from the contest in support of its ally the Jatiya Party, which is the official opposition in parliament.

Ershad won the seat in the Dec 30 elections last year as the candidate of the Awami League-led alliance.

After his death on July 14, the Election Commission announced the schedule for the by-election on Sept 1.

As many as 3,500 security personnel have been deployed for the by-polls to the Jatiya Party stronghold, which consists Rangpur Sadar Upazila, Rangpur Cantonment and 25 of 33 Rangpur City Corporation wards.

The results are expected to be released in a short time as electronic machines will be used for the voting, Returning Officer GM Shahtab Uddin told bdnews24.com.