Voting underway in Chattogram-8 by-polls

Voting is underway peacefully in the by-election to Chattogram-8 constituency which fell vacant after the death of Moinuddin Khan Badal.

Electronic voting machines or EVMs are being used in this election. Voting started at 9:00am today and will continue until 5:00pm without any break. A total of 1,252 polling centres are being used to facilitate the voters to exercise their voting rights.

Chattogram’s regional election official Mohammad Hasanuzzaman, also the returning officer, said balloting in the by-election to Chattogram-8 constituency has started since 9:00am amid huge enthusiasm and festive mood.

Six candidates, including Awami League’s Moslem Uddin Ahmed and BNP’s Abu Sufian, are contesting the by-polls.

The other contestants are – Chairman of Bangladesh Nationalist Front (BNF) SM Abul Kalam Azad, Syed Mohammad Farid Uddin of Islamic Front Bangladesh, Bapon Dasgupta of NAP and independent candidate Mohammad Emdadul Haque.

Chattogram-8 constituency is comprised of five wards (ward No 3-7) of Chittagong City Corporation and Boalkhali upazila, except Sripur and Kharandip unions.

There are 475,988 voters in the constituency.

Badal, the executive president of a faction of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Jasod), was elected MP with Awami League's symbol 'Boat' in the last general election.

He died at a hospital in India on November 7 last at the age of 67.

 

Chattogram/Rezaul/AI