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BNP Vice-President of Thakurgaon district unit Obaidullah Masud has withdrawn his candidacy from the Thakurgaon-1 by-election, clearing the way for district BNP President Mirza Faisal Amin to contest the seat as the party’s candidate.
The development was confirmed on Monday by Mamunur Rashid, office secretary of the Thakurgaon district BNP.
Both Masud and Faisal Amin had initially submitted nomination papers for the by-election, along with four other candidates. Their nominations were declared valid on September 29.
“Respecting the party’s decision, Obaidullah Masud has withdrawn his candidacy. Now there is only one candidate from our party. We will all work together for the party,” Mamunur Rashid said.
Masud had earlier said that both candidates had been nominated by the party and submitted their nomination papers following instructions from the party’s central leadership. The party was expected to send the Election Commission the name of its final candidate before the allocation of the electoral symbol.
With Masud’s withdrawal, Faisal Amin is now set to be the BNP’s final candidate and receive the party’s “sheaf of paddy” symbol.
Other candidates whose nominations have been declared valid include Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Delawar Hossain, Bangladesh Khilafat Andolan’s Md Abdul Alim Nizami, Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s Md Khademul Islam and Bangladesh Congress candidate Hussain Muhammad Omar Faruk.
According to the election schedule, the deadline for withdrawing candidacies is October 7, while electoral symbols will be allocated on October 8. Voting will take place on October 29.
The constituency comprises Thakurgaon Sadar, Ruhia and Bhulli and has 516,138 registered voters.
