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Voters have begun to cast their ballots to elect a new public representative for the Chattogram-8 constituency of Boalkhali, Pachlaish and Chandgaon.
Polls opened at 8am on Thursday at 190 polling centres using electronic voting machines and will continue until 4pm without a break, according to a bdnews24.com report.
A total of five candidates are contesting the by-poll after the seat fell vacant following the death of MP Moslem Uddin Ahmad.
The contestants are Noman-Al-Mahmud from the Awami League, Syed Muhammed Farid Uddin from the Islamic Front Bangladesh, Sehab Uddin Muhammed Abdus Saman from Bangladesh Islami Front, Kamal Pasha from the National People’s Party and independent candidate Ramzan Ali.
BNP, one of the key largest political parties in the country, refrained from contesting the by-poll. With the national election just eight months away, the by-poll is not causing much stir among locals.
Awami League contestant Noman-Al-Mahmud cast his ballot at 8 am at the Bohadderhat Ekhlasur Rahman Government Primary School Centre. He was accompanied by his main election agent AZM Nasir Uddin, general secretary of the city Awami League.
Noman said he hoped the voters would turn out for the election and he would win.
Chattogram Regional Election Officer Mohammad Hasanuzzaman is the returning officer of the by-poll. They have taken all necessary preparations for a peaceful election, he said.
In 2018, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal leader Moin Uddin Khan Badal won the seat, which fell vacant after his death on Nov 7, 2019.
MP Moslem Uddin bagged the seat in the by-election held on Jan 13, 2020, and now another by-poll is taking place after his death.