United News of Bangladesh

Independent candidate Atikul Alam Shawon has won the Cumilla-7 seat in the 13th national election by a wide margin. Shawon, contesting on the “Pitcher” symbol, received 90,819 votes, said Assistant Returning Officer and Chandina Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mohammad Ashraful Haque at 11:45pm on Thursday night. His closest rival, BNP-nominated candidate Dr. Redwan Ahmed, representing the “Sheaf of Paddy” symbol, obtained 47,925 votes. Other candidates included Maulana Solaiman Khan of Khelafat Majlish with 24,597 votes on the “Wall Clock” symbol, Maulana Ehteshamul Haq Qasemi of Islami Andolan Bangladesh with 14,080 votes on the “Hand Fan” symbol, and Sajol Kumar Kar of the Cultural Liberation Alliance with 259 votes on the “Stick” symbol. A total of 182,274 votes were cast in the constituency, representing 56.35 percent of the 329,166 registered voters. After 4,594 invalid votes, the number of valid votes stood at 177,680. The District Returning Officer, Mu. Reza Hasan, will announce the unofficial results of the elected MPs, including postal votes, on Friday.

By-election to Cumilla-7 constituency that fell vacant with the death of parliamentarian Prof Ali Ashraf will be held on October 7 next. The Election Commission announced the election schedule on Thursday, said Director (Public Relations) of EC Secretariat SM Asaduzzaman. As per the schedule, the deadline for the submission of nominations is September 13, while the date for the scrutiny of nomination papers is September 14 and the last date for the withdrawal of candidature is September 19. Besides, the pending elections to nine municipalities and 161 Union Parishads will be held on September 20 next.  The polls were earlier postponed due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The nine municipalities are Nangalkot in Cumilla, Kabirhat in Noakhali,  Sonagazi in Feni, Boalkhali in Chattogram, Chakoria and Maheshkhali in Cox’s Bazar, Bhanga in Faridpur, Noapara in Jashore and Debiganj in Panchagarh. The by-polls to the chairman posts and three vice chairman posts of nine Upazila Parishad, the mayor post and three councilor posts of four separate municipalities, and five councilor posts of five separate city corporations will be held on October 7. The nine upazila parishad where by-election to the chairman posts will be held are Sonargaon in Narayanganj, Narsingdi Sadar, Khaliajuri in Netrakona, Shahrasti in Chandpur, Jashore Sadar, Srimangal in Moulvibazar, Kachua in Bagerhat, Bajitpur in Kishoreganj and Feni Sadar. The municipality where the by-polls to the mayoral post will be held is Godagari in Rajshahi.