Election to Sherpur-3 and by-election to Bogura-6 are set to be held on Thursday as the Election Commission (EC) has completed all necessary preparations to hold voting in a free and fair manner.

EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed on Wednesday, at a press briefing at the Nirbachan Bhaban in the capital, expressed hope that all concerned, including the media, will continue their cooperation to the EC to maintain the standards, which were set for national-level elections, during the polls in the two constituencies.

On February 24 last, the EC announced the election schedule for the two parliamentary seats. The deadline for submission of nomination papers was March 2, while the scrutiny date of the nomination papers was March 5 and the last date for withdrawal of candidates was March 14.

BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman contested the February-12 general election from two parliamentary constituencies – Bogura-6 and Dhaka-17 and he was elected from both seats. But Tarique Rahman vacated Bogura-6 and kept Dhaka-17.

Besides, the EC on February 4 last cancelled the election to Sherpur-3 constituency, following the death of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Nuruzzaman Badal.

The elections to 299 out of the country’s 300 constituencies (except Sherpur-3) were held on February 12.

The EC published a gazette of 297 elected MP candidates on February 12, keeping the election result of Chattogram-2 and 4 constituencies withheld in line with the court’s decisions.