Cumilla-5, Dhaka-14: 2 AL nominees get elected unopposed in by-polls

Awami League nominee Aga Khan Mintu has been declared elected unopposed in the by-polls to Dhaka-14.

His victory was confirmed by the by-election's Returning Officer Mahfuza Akter through a gazette notification yesterday.

Assistant Returning Officer Mohammad Shahjalal confirmed the matter to The Daily Star in the afternoon.

The declaration came a day after three candidates -- Mostakur Rahman of Jatiya Party, Abu Hanif of Jatiyo Samajtantrik Dal (Inu), and AYM Kamrul Islam of Bangladesh Nationalist Front -- withdrew their nominations.

The three cited the pandemic situation as the reason for the withdrawal, said an official of the returning officer's office.

Meanwhile, AL candidate Abul Hashem Khan was declared elected uncontested to Cumilla-5 yesterday, reports our Cumilla correspondent.

Kamrul Hasan, deputy commissioner of Cumilla and also the returning officer of the election, said: "We have officially declared him [Abul Hashem Khan] elected uncontested. We have already sent the election result to the Election Commission for a gazette notification."

On June 20, Jatiya Party nominee Jashim Uddin withdrew his candidature.

The voting for the by-election was scheduled to be held on July 28.

In Dhaka, Assistant Returning Officer Shahjalal earlier said the returning officer's office cancelled nominations of independent candidates Mohammad Moniruzzman and Ruhul Amin Sarkar.

Moniruzzaman's nomination was cancelled because he submitted signatures of four persons who were not voters in Dhaka-14, while Ruhul Amin had submitted incomplete nomination forms.

Moniruzzaman appealed to the EC against RO's decision on cancelling his nomination, but the EC upheld the RO's decision after holding a hearing, said Shahjalal.

According to the Representation of the People Order, 1972, independent candidates must submit signatures of one percent of the total voters in their constituency along with their applications.

The Dhaka-14 parliamentary seat fell vacant following AL MP Aslamul Hoque's death on April 4.