Awami League candidates win Dhaka, Naogaon polls amid low turnout

Awami League candidates Kazi Monirul Islam and Md Anwar Hossain Helal have won the by-election to Dhaka-5 and Naogaon-6 constituencies amid low turnout.

In Dhaka, only 10.43 percent of 471,129 voters cast their ballots from 9 am to 5 pm on Saturday through electronic voting machines, according to Assistant Returning Officer Al Amin.  

Monirul bagged 45,642 votes to win the parliamentary seat consisting of Demra, Jatrabari and parts of Kadamtali. His nearest rival the BNP’s Salahuddin Ahmed received 2,926 votes.

In Naogaon, the turnout was 36.49 percent, according to Returning Officer Mahmud Hasan. The number of voters in the constituency consisting of Atrai and Raninagar is 306,725.

Helal won 105,521 votes, beating the BNP’s Sheikh Md Rezaul Islam who finished the race at 4,605 votes.

Both the BNP candidates called for a boycott, alleging irregularities and intimidation.

Monirul denied the allegation claiming that he voted without any trouble.

Election officials, however, confirmed that Monirul was not a registered voter of the constituency.   

Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda said the commission received no complaint of any trouble in the two constituencies.

He expressed satisfaction over the turnout as well, saying that the voters were deterred by the pandemic and had little interest in by-elections.