Outsiders Ordered to Leave Thakurgaon-1 Ahead of By-Election, Campaign Ends Tuesday Morning

Preparations are intensifying as voting in the Thakurgaon-1 (Sadar, Ruhia-Bhulli) by-election approaches. Election campaigning ends next Tuesday (27 October) at 8am. Before that, the district administration has imposed a ban on outsiders staying in the area to keep the election environment free of influence, neutral and peaceful.

The ban will be in force from 8am on 27 October to 4pm on 30 October. During this time, people who are not residents or voters of the election area will not be able to stay in the relevant area. The instruction was given in a public notice signed on Sunday (25 October) by Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate Mohammad Rafiqul Haque.

The public notice said that, according to the Election Commission's decision, no one other than people involved in election activities, people permitted by the Election Commission, and residents or voters of the relevant election area will be able to stay in the election area during the specified time. Strict legal action will be taken against those who disobey the instruction.

Voting in the Thakurgaon-1 by-election will be held on 29 October. The ban will be in force from 48 hours before voting begins until 24 hours after voting ends. The constituency covers Thakurgaon Sadar, Ruhia and Bhulli areas. The notice said the decision was taken following a letter from the Election Commission Secretariat dated 25 October 2026.

Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Rafiqul Haque said their goal is for the by-election to be held in an environment free of influence, neutral and festive. The ban on outsiders staying in the election area was imposed under the Election Commission's instructions so voters can go to centres and vote without fear or obstruction. He said strict action under the law will be taken if the instruction is disobeyed within the specified time.

After scrutiny of nomination papers on 29 September, the nominations of six candidates were declared valid for the Thakurgaon-1 by-election. They are BNP's Mirza Faisal Amin and Md Obaidullah Masud, Jamaat-e-Islami and allied parties' candidate Delwar Hossain, Kademul Islam, Abdul Alim Nizami and Hosain Muhammad Omar Faruk.

However, on 5 October, BNP district senior vice-president Md Obaidullah Masud withdrew his candidacy, citing a party decision. As a result, Mirza Faisal Amin is contesting the election as the BNP candidate in the seat.

Thakurgaon-1 has a total of 516,138 voters. Among them, 250,053 are men, 256,572 are women and four are third-gender voters. The seat, formed by Sadar, Ruhia and the newly formed Bhulli upazila, has 22 unions and one municipality.