Staff Reporter :
The Election Commission has fixed September 4 to hold the by-election to Sylhet-3 Constituency, originally scheduled to be held on July 28.
The constituency fell vacant after the death of Awami League MP Mahmud Us Samad due to the Coronavirus on March 11.
The decision came during a commission meeting on Monday, EC Secretary Humayun Kabir Khandaker told the media.
According to the schedule, the candidates can carry out election campaigns from 8 am on September 1 to 8 am, September 2.
“Since the by-polls were stayed just two days before voting, the candidates can run campaigns for only one day,” said Khandaker.
The EC will announce the dates of by-election for Cumilla-7 Constituency, the first phase elections for 167 union parishads, the second phase elections of union parishads, elections for nine municipalities, and the Narayanganj City Corporation election next month, he added.
On July 26, the High Court stayed the by-polls to Sylhet-3 till August 5, after a petition saying that holding the by-election on July 28 was contradictory to the lockdown.
On August 5, the court directed the EC to complete voting there by September 7.
The constituency comprises three upazilas-Dakkhin Surma, Fenchuganj and Balaganj.
Habibur Rahman Habib is running for the by-polls on the ruling Awami League’s ticket along with Jatiya Party’s Mohammad Atiqur Rahman, Bangladesh Congress’ Junayed Mohammad Miah and Shafi Ahmed Chowdhury, a BNP rebel candidate.
