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Thakurgaon-1 by-poll voting begins amid tight security

Published : Thursday, 29 October, 2026 at 8:16 AM

Observer Online Report

Collected Photo

Balloting for the by-election to the Thakurgaon-1 constituency (Sadar, Ruhia, and Bhulli) began on Thursday (October 29) morning, with voters casting their ballots across 185 polling stations from 8:00AM to 4:00PM.

The Election Commission (EC) completed all logistical preparations ahead of the vote, dispatching ballot papers, ballot boxes, and necessary election materials to all polling centers from the Thakurgaon Government Boys' High School ground on Wednesday (October 28).

The parliamentary seat fell vacant after President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir resigned from his position as MP. BNP candidate Mirza Faysal Amin is contesting the race under the Sheaf of Paddy symbol, while Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Delawar Hossain, representing an 11-party alliance, is running under the Scale symbol. Other contenders include Bangladesh Khelafat Andolan’s Md Abdul Alim Nizami, Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s Md Khademul Islam, and Bangladesh Congress’s Hossain Mohammad Omar Farooq.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Jamaat candidate Delawar Hossain stated that his party has no plans to boycott the vote and intends to stay in the race until the end. However, he voiced concerns regarding electioneering obstacles, attacks on party workers, voter intimidation, and the alleged misuse of public administration, warning that appropriate measures would be taken if irregular election dynamics emerge.

In response, BNP candidate Mirza Faysal Amin dismissed the allegations during a separate press conference at the district BNP office on Wednesday night, characterizing the claims as fabricated attempts to mislead voters and undermine the credibility of the election. Expressing optimism about a high voter turnout, he asserted that voters across all demographics would participate spontaneously.

District Returning Officer Md Kamrul Islam confirmed that 5,16,138 voters are registered to cast their ballots across 185 centers. To ensure a peaceful and transparent election, closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras have been installed at all polling centers, supported by the deployment of 5,300 law enforcement personnel alongside executive magistrates to maintain security.

-EM

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Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury

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