Brahmanbaria-2 by-polls: 3 pro-AL candidates withdraw nominations
Three candidates politically affilitated with the ruling Awami League have withdrawn their nominations for Brahmanbaria-2 by-elections to be held on 1 February.
They are district Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Bari Chowdhury, former joint general secretary Moin Uddin, and Swadhinata Shikkhok Parishad's General Secretary Shahjahan Alam.
After their withdrawal, five candidates including former BNP lawmaker Abdus Sattar Bhuiyan who was expelled from the party for disregarding party principles, are left to vie for the seat.
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Brahmanbaria District Election Officer and Assistant Returning Officer Zillur Rahman said, "After a scrutiny, eight nomination papers were sorted out as valid. But three candidates withdrew their candidacy today."
He said candidates can withdraw their nomination papers till Sunday after which election symbols will be allocated on Monday.
Politicians and voters in the constituency think that the withdrawal of nominations by the three heavy-weight candidates will help Abdus Sattar Bhuiyan, who resigned from the post of BNP chairperson's adviser last month, to be ahead in the race for Brahmanbaria-2 constituency which has been vacant since his resignation in December.
Four other candidates who will vie Abdus Sattar are Jatiya Party's Abdul Hamid Bhasani, suspended Jatiya Party leader Ziaul Haque Mridha, Jaker Party candidate Jahirul Islam Jewel and independent candidate Abu Asif Ahmed.
BNP expelled Abdus Sattar after he collected nomination papers to contest as an independent candidate in the Brahmanbaria-2 (Sarail and Ashuganj).
