Thakurgaon-1 by-election: Symbols to be allocated today, campaigns set to begin

Election campaigning for the Thakurgaon-1 by-election is set to begin formally on Thursday as the Election Commission prepares to allocate electoral symbols to five candidates representing five political parties.

The allocation of symbols on October 8 will clear the way for candidates to launch their campaigns and seek voters’ support ahead of the October 29 poll.

The contest will feature BNP candidate Mirza Faisal Amin, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Md Delawar Hossain, Bangladesh Khilafat Andolan’s Md Abdul Alim Nizami, Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s Hafez Dr Md Khademul Islam and Bangladesh Congress candidate Hussain Muhammad Omar Faruk.

Wednesday, October 7, was the deadline for withdrawing candidacies under the Election Commission’s schedule. Five candidates remained in the race after the withdrawal period ended.

Mirza Faisal Amin will be the BNP’s sole candidate after Md Obaidullah Masud, vice-president of the party’s Thakurgaon district unit, withdrew his nomination in line with the party’s decision. Both had initially submitted nomination papers seeking the party’s nomination for the seat.

The BNP has written to the Election Commission requesting that the party’s electoral symbol, the sheaf of paddy, be allocated to Mirza Faisal Amin.

Voting in the by-election is scheduled for October 29, with polling to run continuously from 8am to 4pm, according to the Election Commission’s schedule.

With the allocation of symbols, the campaign is expected to gather momentum as candidates begin reaching out to voters across the constituency.