AL invites applications from nomination seekers for November polls

Ruling party Awami League (AL) will accept applications from those seeking its nomination for the Sirajganj-6 parliamentary by-election, and elections to 10 municipalities and 848 union parishads (UPs) in November as of Wednesday, 6 October.

Nomination seekers can collect application forms and submit these between 10:30am and 5:00pm every day till Wednesday from AL president Sheikh Hasina's political office in Dhanmondi, reports UNB.

The Sirajganj-6 (Shahjadpur Upazila) by-election and the seventh phase polls to 10 municipalities will be held on 2 November, as announced by the election commission. Elections to 848 Union Parishads (UPs) in the second phase will be held 11 November.

The applications that are approved will then have different deadlines for submitting their nomination papers: 10 October for the Sirahganj-6 by-election, 9 October for the 7th phase municipal polls and 17 October for the 2nd phase UP elections.

Besides, the nomination seekers in the by-polls to the chairman posts of five UPs can collect and submit the application forms in the same timeframe.

Only mayoral candidates in the municipal polls and chairman contestants in the UP election can run with the symbols of political parties who nominate them.

The aspirants for other posts like councilor, member posts and reserved seats cannot use symbols reserved for political parties in the local body elections but can rely on a form of unofficial backing.

On Wednesday last, the EC announced the schedule for these elections.

The Sirajganj-6 (Shahjadpur Upazila) constituency fell vacant with the death of Awami League MP Hasibur Rahman Swapan. Swapan died at a hospital in Turkey on 2 September, while undergoing treatment there for his kidney-related complications.

The 10 municipalities are Ghorashal in Narsingdi, Kasba in Brahmanbaria, Chhagalnaiya in Feni, Ramgrarh in Khagrachhari, Sonatala in Bagura, Ghoraghat in Dinajpur, Domar in Nilphamari, Lohagara in Narail, Pakundia in Kishoreganj and Chapainawabganj.