Dhaka, Aug 29 – Though it boycotted the by-elections to Bogura-1 and Jashore-6 constituencies due to the coronavirus pandemic, the BNP has decided to take part in the upcoming by-polls for the Pabna-4 seat scheduled for September 26. Party senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi made the announcement through a press release on Saturday.
He said the sale of the party’s nomination paper for the by-polls will start at 10 am at its Nayapaltan central office on Sunday.
Rizvi said the aspirants will have to collect and submit the nomination papers by 2 pm on Monday to contest the by-polls with the party’s election symbol ‘Sheaf of Paddy’.
Later, BNP nomination board will take interview of the aspirants at 5 pm at BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office the same day.
The by-polls to Pabna-4 seat is scheduled to be held on September 26.
As per the Election Commission’s schedule, the last date for submitting the nomination papers is September 2, the date for scrutinising nomination papers is September 3 and the last date for the withdrawal of nomination papers is September 8.
The Pabna-4 seat fell vacant following the death of ruling party MP Shamsur Rahman Sherif on April 2, but the Election Commission could not arrange the by-polls as per the constitutional requirement of withing 180 days due to coronavirus.
Earlier on July 5, BNP announced not to join the by-polls to Bogura-1 and Jashore-6 constituencies, saying holding any election amid pandemic is unacceptable.
The by-polls to the two seats were held on July 14. – UNB
