BNP’s Badsha, Rubel win Bogura-6 by-polls, Sherpur-3 election

BNP-nominated candidates Md Rezaul Karim Badsha and Md Mahmudul Haque Rubel have won the Bogura-6 by-polls and Sherpur-3 election, defeating their rivals by large margins.

In Bogura-6 (Sadar), according to unofficial results from 151 centres, including postal votes, Rezaul, contesting with the Sheaf of Paddy symbol, secured 133,931 votes, while his nearest rival Abidur Rahman, with the Scale symbol, received 57,159 votes.

In Sherpur-3 (Jhenaigati and Sreebardi), Mahmudul, also contesting with the Sheaf of Paddy symbol, won 166,117 votes, defeating Masudur Rahman Masud, who got 47,051 votes with the Scale symbol.

Overall voter turnout in the two constituencies was recorded at 42.57%.

Rezaul, president of Bogura district BNP and former mayor of Bogura municipality, was nominated after BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman vacated the Bogura-6 seat, having won both Dhaka-17 and Bogura-6 in the 13th parliamentary elections held on 12 February.

Abidur Rahman, ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami’s Bogura city unit, had earlier lost to Tarique in the general election.

Bogura Senior District Election Officer and Returning Officer Fazlul Karim announced the unofficial results at 8:50pm on Thursday.

He said the constituency had 454,043 voters. Voting took place at 150 polling centres and one postal ballot centre, with 193,326 votes cast. A total of 1,710 votes were rejected, leaving 191,616 valid votes.

Officials said voting was held peacefully from 7:30am to 4:30pm in a festive atmosphere, with no untoward incidents reported. Although turnout was low in the morning, it increased later in the day. 

However, participation remained lower than the 71.15% turnout recorded in the 12 February national election, they added.

Bogura-6 comprises 11 unions of Bogura Sadar upazila and 21 wards of a municipality.

The Sherpur-3 by-election was held as the Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Nuruzzaman Badal died shortly before the 13th parliamentary polls, prompting a fresh election. The party later nominated his younger brother Masudur Rahman Masud.

Sherpur District Election Officer and Returning Officer Mohammad Jahangir Hossain announced the unofficial results around 9pm after counting votes from 129 centres, including postal ballots.

Voting in the constituency was held from 7:30am to 4:30pm without interruption.

Jahangir said voting was largely peaceful, though incidents of fake voting were reported in some areas. Those involved were detained and handed over to police.

Voter turnout in Sherpur-3 was recorded at 50.52%.

However, Masudur Rahman Masud announced a boycott of the election at a press conference at 3pm, alleging that his polling agents were driven out of centres and that fake voting and open ballot stamping took place. He claimed no action was taken despite informing officials.

The Sherpur-3 constituency comprises Sreebardi and Jhenaigati upazilas, with 17 unions and one municipality. A total of 413,377 voters were eligible to vote across 128 polling centres with 751 booths. Of 3,574 applicants for postal voting, 2,019 cast their ballots.