Thakurgaon-1 by-election: BNP's Obaidullah Masud withdraws nomination

District BNP vice-president Md Obaidullah Masud has withdrawn his nomination papers from the by-election to Thakurgaon-1 constituency. As a result, the path for Mirza Faisal Amin to contest as the BNP's party candidate on the 'sheaf of paddy' symbol has become largely clear.

Obaidullah Masud himself confirmed the matter around 9:30pm on Monday, October 5. He said he withdrew his nomination papers following a request from the Prime Minister's Office. He had already submitted the withdrawal application to the district election officer on Sunday.

Obaidullah Masud said, "We are always united behind the BNP's party decision. We have not made any decision outside the party, nor will we in the future. Whoever the party nominates, we will all work for that person."

District Election Officer and Returning Officer Md Kamrul Islam said BNP candidate Obaidullah Masud submitted an application to withdraw his nomination papers on Sunday. The matter will be announced, and symbols will be allotted among the candidates on October 8.

Earlier, after scrutiny of nomination papers on September 29, the nominations of six candidates, including BNP's two leaders Obaidullah Masud and Mirza Faisal Amin, were declared valid in the Thakurgaon-1 by-election. Since then, discussions had been ongoing in local political circles over whose hands the BNP's party symbol, the sheaf of paddy, would ultimately go to.

After submitting his nomination, Obaidullah Masud had said that both of them had been given party nominations on the same day as per the central decision. They submitted nomination papers based on that decision. He had also said that after the party sent the final candidate's name to the Election Commission, one would contest on the sheaf of paddy symbol and the other would withdraw their candidacy following the party decision.

After Masud's withdrawal of candidacy, it is now almost certain that Mirza Faisal Amin's name will be sent as BNP's final candidate. However, the formalities of submitting the final candidate's name on behalf of the party to the Election Commission and allotting the sheaf of paddy symbol are still pending.

Besides BNP's two candidates in Thakurgaon-1 constituency, the nominations of four others were validated. They are Md Delwar Hossain of Jamaat-e-Islami supported by the 11-party alliance, Md Abdul Alim Nizami of Bangladesh Khilafat Andolan, Md Khademul Islam of Islami Andolan Bangladesh and Hussain Muhammad Omar Faruk of Bangladesh Congress.

According to the Election Commission's schedule, the last date for withdrawal of candidacy is October 7. Symbols will be allotted among the candidates on October 8. After that, formal election campaigning will begin.

Voting in Thakurgaon-1 constituency will be held on October 29. The constituency, comprising Sadar, Ruhia and Bhulli areas, has a total of 516,138 voters.