Voting in Rangpur-3 by-polls ends

A voter is casting vote at Adarshapara High School polling center at noon. Photo: Prothom Alo
A voter is casting vote at Adarshapara High School polling center at noon. Photo: Prothom Alo

Voting in the Rangpur-3 by-polls ended on Saturday afternoon without report of any untoward incident, reports UNB. 


As many as 442,072 voters - 221,310 men and 220,762 women - were expected to exercise their franchise from 9:00am to 5:00pm without any break to elect a new representative.

But the turnout percentage was not immediately clear. The counting of votes will begin shortly.

The constituency fell vacant after the death of Jatiya Party chairman HM Ershad on 14 July. The election commission (EC) announced schedule for the by-polls on 1 September.

Six candidates are competing for the seat but locals it will be a close contest among Jatiya Party's Rahgir Al Mahi alias Saad Ershad, BNP's Rita Rahman and independent candidate Hossain Mokbul Shahriar Asif.

Kellaband government primary school polling center looks deserted as no voters are seen at 10:00am. Photo: Prothom Alo
Kellaband government primary school polling center looks deserted as no voters are seen at 10:00am. Photo: Prothom Alo

The other contestants are - NPP's Shafiul Alam (mango), Gano Front's Kazi M Shahidullah Bayazid (fish) and Khelafat Majlish's Towhidur Rahman Mandal (wall clock).

The ruling Awami League withdrew its candidates in support of the JaPa contestant.

Rangpur regional election officer and returning officer of the by-election GM Sahatab Uddin said they took all preparations to hold a free, fair and credible balloting.

He said 3,244 election officials, including 175 presiding officers, 1,023 assistant presiding officers and 2,046 polling officers, worked at the polling stations.

The EC identified 49 out of the total 175 polling centres as important ones, he added.