President’s brother among six to file nominations for Thakurgaon-1 by-election

Six aspirants, including Mirza Faisal Amin, younger brother of President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, submitted their nomination papers today for the Thakurgaon-1 by-election scheduled for October 29.

Md Quamrul Islam, district election officer and returning officer, confirmed the development to reporters.

Today was the last day for submitting nomination papers for the by-election.

The other candidates are Obaidullah Masud, vice-president of the 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.

Thakurgaon district BNP General Secretary Poygum Ali told reporters over the phone that Mirza Faisal Amin, also president of the district BNP, is the BNP-backed candidate.

At the same time, Obaidullah Masud submitted his nomination paper to provide a backup for the party's nominee, he said.

Poygum said Obaidullah would withdraw his nomination after scrutiny of the nomination papers is completed.

According to the Election Commission, the nominations will be scrutinised on September 29. Candidates can appeal against the scrutiny decisions from September 30 to October 4, with the Election Commission scheduled to dispose of the appeals on October 6.

Candidates can withdraw their nominations until October 7, while electoral symbols will be allocated on October 8.

The EC declared the Thakurgaon-1 parliamentary seat vacant on August 22, following Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir's swearing-in as president.