By-polls to Fakhrul’s vacant seat June 24

The Election Commission has announced the schedule for by-election to Bogura 6 constituency which fell vacant as MP-elect Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir did not take oath.
Voting will be held on June 24 to the vacant seat and the last date of filing nomination is May 23, and nomination papers will be scrutinised by the returning officer on May 27.
At the instruction of the parliament secretariat, the EC made the schedule for the by-polls, EC secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed told reporters at his office on Wednesday.
He said that aspirants can withdraw nomination papers by June 3 while electoral symbol will be allocated among the candidates on June 4.
The EC secretary also said the voting would be held through Electronic Voting Machines and the polling would start at 9:00am which will continue till 5:00pm.
The seat was vacant as Bangladesh Nationalist Party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir refrained from taking oath or seeking time as the deadline for swearing in expired on April 30.
While declaring the seat vacant, Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury told parliament on April 30 that if any lawmaker-elect refrained from taking oath within 90 days after the beginning of the first session or refrained from informing the speaker, his/her membership would be cancelled.
‘Under the circumstances, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, elected from Bogra 6 constituency, has failed to take oath. The House has been informed about the matter. Now the Election Commission will take next course of action,’ she also said.
Five out of the six BNP leaders elected in the December 30 general election have joined parliament. 
About two hours after four BNP lawmakers’ taking oath on April 29, Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told a press conference that they joined parliament following a party decision. 
He said that acting BNP chairman Tarique Rahman took the decision about the party’s joining parliament as part of the greater movement for freeing Khaleda Zia and restoring democracy. 
Earlier, rejecting results of the December 30 general election, marked by widespread flaws and frauds, BNP had announced that they would not join parliament. 
Based on the decision, BNP expelled its leader Md Zahidur Rahman on April 27 for taking oath as lawmaker of Thakurgaon 3 constituency. 
Fakhrul at a programme at the National Press Club, told journalists on April 29 that it was also a part of strategy that he did not join parliament.
He said that it was also the party decision that he would not join parliament.
In the 11th parliamentary polls, ruling Awami League bagged 258 seats while its grand alliance partner Jatiya Party bagged 22, Jatiya Oikya Front candidates won in eight seats while other parties candidates won in nine seats and three seats were secured by independent candidates.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net