The Awami League has endorsed Mahmudul Hasan Ripon, a former president of Bangladesh Chhatra League, to run for the parliament’s Gaibandha-5 seat, which fell vacant after the death of the elected representative of the constituency, Md Fazle Rabbi Miah, reports bdnews24.com.
The ruling party’s parliamentary board and local government representative nomination board took the decision at a joint meeting chaired by party chief and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the Ganabhaban on Saturday.
Deputy Speaker Fazle Rabbi died from cancer in New York on Jul 23.
The by-election to the Gaibandha-5 constituency, comprising Fulchhari and Saghata, will be held on Oct 12. Electronic voting machines will be used in the polls instead of traditional ballot papers.
Confirming the nomination, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, a member of the party’s top policymaking body, said the nomination board also reviewed an application by Fazle Rabbi’s daughter Farzana Rabbi Bubli, before deciding in favour of Ripon.
“The party unanimously backed Ripon to contest in the by-election,” he said.
As per the election schedule, the deadline for submission of nomination papers is Sept 13, while the date for scrutiny is Sept 15 and the last date for the withdrawal of candidature is Sept 22.
Ripon was elected president of the Chhatra League in 2006 and he held the post until 2011.
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