6 Candidates Cleared for Thakurgaon-1 By-Election on October 29

The Election Commission has declared six candidates eligible to contest the Thakurgaon-1 parliamentary by-election, scheduled to be held on October 29.

The candidates are Mirza Faisal Amin, younger brother of President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir; Obaidullah Masud, vice-president of Thakurgaon District BNP; Delawar Hossain, assistant general secretary of Dhaka South City Jamaat-e-Islami; Md Abdul Alim Nizami of Bangladesh Khelafat Andolon; Md Khademul Islam of Islami Andolon Bangladesh; and Hussain Muhammad Omar Faruk of Bangladesh Congress.

The candidates submitted their nomination papers on the final day of filing, according to Md Quamrul Islam, district election officer and returning officer.

The nomination papers will be scrutinised today. Candidates can appeal against the scrutiny decisions from tomorrow until October 4, with the Election Commission scheduled to resolve the appeals on October 6. Nomination withdrawals will remain open until October 7, while electoral symbols will be assigned on October 8.

The Election Commission has also decided to install CCTV cameras at designated polling centres on the day before voting and throughout polling day. Recorded footage will be preserved at the office of the respective returning officer for potential use as evidence.

The Thakurgaon-1 seat was declared vacant on August 22 following Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir's swearing-in as president. The EC announced the by-election schedule on September 10, setting October 29 as the polling date.