Seven candidates are in the race. Opposition Awami League is not participating in the election, saying it will not be fair under the present government.

The prime contenders are Fakir Ashraf of Jatiya Party (Ershad) and Abu Abbas of the Four Party Alliance. The rest five are Ayub Ali Fanu of Jatiya Party (Monju), Krishok Mohammad Sadak of Krishok Shramik Party, and independent candidates Shariful Haque, Abul Kalam and Reaz Uddin.

The seat fell vacant following the death of Awami League lawmaker Abdul Momin on July 15.

According to political circles and voters, the contest will be between Fakir Ashraf and Abu Abbas. Campaign by the rest five is hardly seen.

There are 300,330 voters in the constituency with 147 polling centers.

Abu Abbas won the 1991 general election but was defeated in 1996 and 2001 by AL candidates Fazlur Rahaman Khan and Abdul Momin respectively.

Once a journalist, Fakir Ashraf was the third runner in 1996 and 2001 elections.

At a recent press conference, Fakir Ashraf alleged that ruling party activists campaigning for Abu Abbas threatened his party men and that some ministers and ruling party men are availing government facilities in the campaign.