AL announces candidates for three vacant seats

Awami League candidates (From L-R) Aga Khan Mintu, Abul Hashem Khan, Habibur Rahman
Collected

The ruling Awami League has announced candidates for the upcoming by-elections to three parliamentary constituencies of Dhaka-14, Sylhet-3 and Cumilla-5, reports news agency UNB.

While Aga Khan Mintu has been picked as the party candidate for Dhaka-14, Habibur Rahman has been named for Sylhet-3 and Abul Hashem Khan for Cumilla-5, the ruling party said in a release on Saturday.

A total of 94 aspirants collected nomination papers from the ruling party to try their luck in the by-polls to the parliamentary constituencies.

The Awami League said that 34 nomination papers were sold for Dhaka-14, 25 for Sylhet-3, and 35 for Cumilla-5. The by-polls are slated for 28 July.

The would-be candidates collected forms from AL president Sheikh Hasina’s political office in Dhanmondi maintaining Covid-19 health protocols, said the party.

The three parliamentary seats became vacant due to the deaths of the respective MPs. Sylhet-3 MP Mahmud Us Samad died on 11 March, Dhaka-14 MP Aslamul Haque on 4 April and Comilla-5 MP Abdul Matin Khasru passed away on 14 April.

As voting in these parliamentary constituencies could not take place in the first 90 days due to the Covid-induced lockdown in the country, the by-polls are slated for next month.