Peaceful Voting in Thakurgaon-1 By-Election, No Evidence of Irregularities Found: CEC

Voting is under way in a peaceful atmosphere in Thursday's by-election to the Thakurgaon-1 parliamentary constituency. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A M M Nasir Uddin said the Election Commission immediately looked into the allegations raised by the opposition and has so far found no evidence of anything disrupting the normal voting environment.

The CEC spoke to journalists on Thursday morning after observing the overall situation in the election area through the digital monitoring system installed at the Election Bhaban in Agargaon, Dhaka. Four election commissioners and the EC secretary were present with him, directly watching the voting activities at the centres.

The by-election is being held because the seat was declared vacant after Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir assumed office as President. Voting began at 8 am and will continue uninterrupted until 4 pm.

According to Election Commission sources, votes are being cast at 989 booths in 185 polling centres in the constituency — 113 centres in Thakurgaon Sadar upazila, 33 in the newly formed Ruhia upazila and 39 in Bhulli upazila. A total of 516,138 voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in the election.

Five candidates are contesting the seat: BNP's Mirza Faisal Amin with the sheaf of paddy symbol, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami's Md Delawar Hossain with the scales, Islami Andolan Bangladesh's Hafez Dr Md Khademul Islam with the hand fan, Bangladesh Khelafat Andolan's Md Abdul Alim Nizami with the banyan tree, and Bangladesh Congress's Husain Muhammad Omar Faruk with the coconut symbol.

The CEC noted that people have been coming to all 185 centres without any hindrance since morning. He expressed hope that turnout will grow as the day progresses and the weather improves.

On security in the election area, the CEC said the regular patrols and positions of law enforcement agencies are being directly supervised from the Election Bhaban through digital surveillance. All possible administrative preparations have been taken to keep the Thakurgaon by-election free and impartial, with strict vigilance throughout the process.

He emphasised that the commission wants to keep the entire process fully transparent and visible to the public, and is watchful that the local administration and every department concerned perform their duties maintaining neutrality. Turning voting into a joyful civic festival, free of electoral conflict or tension, is the commission's main goal in building a healthy electoral culture in the country, he said.

Meanwhile, BNP candidate Mirza Faisal Amin expressed hundred percent optimism about winning the Thakurgaon-1 seat, while noting that the people's verdict in the ballot battle is final. He made the remarks facing journalists on Thursday morning after casting his vote at the Thakurgaon Government Girls' High School polling centre.

Assessing the environment after voting, Mirza Faisal Amin said that since voting had only just begun it would not be proper to comment on the overall situation immediately. But so far a festive and peaceful atmosphere prevails and voters are coming to centres without any hindrance. Despite somewhat adverse weather, he hoped voter turnout would be satisfactory as the day progressed. Alongside firm belief in his own victory, he reminded everyone that the people's decision is the last word and that everyone should have the mindset to accept that verdict.