The Election Commission (EC) has barred outsiders from staying in the Thakurgaon-1 constituency ahead of its by-election and ordered them to leave the area immediately. The commission said the step was taken to keep the by-election free, fair and free of influence.
On Sunday the EC sent a letter to the Thakurgaon deputy commissioner and superintendent of police to carry out the order. It says outsiders must not stay in the constituency from 8am on October 27 to 4pm on October 30.
The by-election for the vacant Thakurgaon-1 seat will be held on October 29, according to the EC. The decision was taken to ensure the vote is completely free of influence, neutral and peaceful.
The letter says the ban will remain in force from 48 hours before polling begins until 24 hours after voting ends. That means no outsider may stay in the constituency from 8am on October 27 until 4pm on October 30.
The local administration and law enforcement agencies have been instructed to take the necessary and effective measures at once to enforce the decision in full.
The candidates in the by-election are BNP’s Mirza Faisal Amin (sheaf of paddy), Jamaat-e-Islami’s Md Delawar Hossain (scales), Bangladesh Khelafat Andolan’s Md Abdul Alim Nizami (banyan tree), Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s Hafez Dr Md Khademul Islam (hand fan) and Bangladesh Congress’s Hussain Muhammad Omar Faruk (green coconut).
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report