Sylhet by-polls on Sept 4

By-election to Sylhet-3 constituency will be held on September 4, the Election Commission announced on Monday.

Election Commission secretary M Humayun Kabir Khandakerannounced the polls schedule at a press briefing at EC office in Dhaka.

The constituency fell vacant after its MP Mahmud Us Samad Chowdhurydied of coronavirus on March 11.

The election was scheduled to be held on July 28 but it was deferred twice due to surge in Covid-19 cases.

On July 26, the High Court stayed the by-election to the constituency till August 5 due to the worsening Covid situation in the country.

Later, the court asked to complete the by-election by September 7.

The constituency comprises three upazilas-Dakkhin Surma, Fenchuganj and Balaganj.

Habibur Rahman Habib got the AL ticket for contesting the polls while the other candidates are Mohammad Atiqur Rahman of Jatiya Party, Junaid Mohammad Mia of Bangladesh Congress and Shafi Ahmed Chowdhury as independent.

Some 3.5 lakh voters are eligible in the polls.

The candidates will be allowed for campaigning from 8:00am on September 1 to 8:00am on September 2.