Dhaka-17 By-polls: Arafat Hopes for Victory

Awami League nominated candidate for the Dhaka-17 by-polls Mohammad A Arafat has said he is hopeful of victory after casting his vote at a polling centre in Dhaka's Gulshan.

He exercised his voting rights around at 10 am, said chief co-ordinator at the office cell of Dhaka -17 by-election, William Proloy Samadder Bappy.

Arafat told media that there is “no alternative to Awami League.” People will gather at polling centres to cast their votes for boat, he hoped.

He was also optimistic that he will win the race.

The voting started at 8 am and will continue till 4 pm without any recess.

In the Dhaka-17 constituency, eight candidates are running in the race to be elected a member of the parliament. The seat comprising Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara and part of Dhaka Cantonment fell vacant after the death of renowned actor and freedom fighter Akbar Hossain Pathan Farooque on May 14 this year.

number of voters is 325,205 under 125 polling stations in Dhaka-17 constituency which comprises wards 15, 18, 19 and 20 of Dhaka North City Corporation as well as Dhaka cantonment area.

Otherside, in order to monitor the polls, the Election Commission has installed 1,058 CCTV cameras, including 853 for the Dhaka-17 seat.

Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibur Awal; Election Commissioners Brigadier General (retd) Ahsan Habib Khan, Rasheda Sultana, Md Anisur Rahman; Additional Secretary Ashok Kumar Debnath; NID Director General AKM Humayun Kabir; and IDEA-2 Project Director Brigadier General Abul Hasnat Mohammad Sayem have been monitoring the polls since this morning.

Two CCTV cameras have been installed in each polling place to monitor the election.

There have been no recorded undesirable events related to the election.

Elections in seven municipalities across seven districts, as well as voting in the Dhaka-17 seat, began at 8 am and will continue uninterrupted till 4 pm.

In the Dhaka-17 constituency, eight candidates are running in the race to be elected member of the parliament. The seat comprising Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara and part of Dhaka Cantonment fell vacant after the death of popular actor and freedom fighter Akbar Hossain Pathan Farooque on May 14 this year.

A total of 33 mayoral candidates are running for seven posts, while 102 female contestants for 21 reserve seats and 364 contenders for 63 general councillor posts in the seven municipalities.