Shahdab Akbar Chowdhury elected MP in Faridpur-2 bypolls amid low turnout

The constituency fell vacant following the death of Awami League stalwart Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Shahdab’s mother

Shahdab Akbar Chowdhury Labu, the younger son of the late Awami League stalwart Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, has been elected to represent the constituents of Faridpur-2 in parliament in a bypolls marred by a low turnout.

The ruling party nominated Shahdab to contest the election after the constituency, which comprises Nagarkanda, Saltha Upazila, and Krishnapur Union of Sadarpur Upazila, fell vacant in September following the death of his mother.

In the constituency of 318,472 voters, only 26.27 percent cast ballots on Saturday, according to District Election Officer Habibur Rahman.

Shahdab bagged 68,812 votes out of the 83,690 cast via electronic voting machines, while his sole opponent, Bangladesh Khilafat Andolon’s Zainul Abedin Bakul Miah, ended up with 14,878.

The Election Commission installed 1,052 CCTV cameras in 123 polling stations so that Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal and other election commissioners could monitor the polls from the EC control room in Dhaka.

Sajeda Chowdhury, also the deputy leader of parliament, died on Sept 11, aged 87. The Parliament Secretariat later declared the Faridpur-2 seat vacant on Sept 13.