The Awami League Parliamentary Board (ALPB) has decided to sell party nomination papers for the by-election to Sirajganj-3 (Raiganj-Tarash) constituency from November 15-17.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the ALPB held at Ganobhaban, the official residence of the Prime Minister, Friday evening. ALPB Chief and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina chaired the meeting.

According to an Awami League press release, the aspirant candidates have been request to collect the nomination forms from the party chief's Dhanmondi-3 road office by depositing Taka 25,000 as a fee and submit those on November 15-17.  The interview of the candidates will be held at 7pm on November 17 at Ganobhaban.

ALPB members Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Tofail Ahmed, Syed Ashraful Islam, Suranjit Sengupta and Dr Alauddin Ahmed attended the meeting, among others.

The by-poll to Sirajganj-5 constituency that fell vacant following the death of Awami League lawmaker Ishaq Hossain Talukdar will be held on December 30, according to a decision of the Election Commission (EC).

According to the schedule, the deadline for the submission of nomination papers is November 20, while the date for scrutinising the nomination papers is November 22 and the last date for withdrawal of candidature is November 30.

Sirajganj-3 constituency has a total of 3,31,336 voters--1,64,539 men and 1,66,797 women--and they will be able to exercise their franchise through 131 possible polling stations in the by-poll.

The constituency is comprised of one municipality (Raiganj) and 17 union parishads - nine union parishads of Raiganj upazila and eight union parishads of Tarash upazila.

The EC's Rajshahi regional officer has been appointed as the returning officer for the by-poll, while Sirajganj district election officials and Tarash upazila election officer will act as assistant returning officers.

As per article 123 (4) of the Constitution, the commission has a legal obligation to hold the by-election by January 4, 2015.   

Ishaq Hossain Talukdar, MP, died of old-age complications at the age of 68 on October 6 this year.