Papul’s Vacant Seat: By-election in Laxmipur-2 on April 11

Mohammad Shahid Islam, also known as Kazi Papul. Photo: Collected

By-elections to the Laxmipur-2 constituency will be held on April 11 as Kazi Papul's position got vacated on the grounds of moral turpitude after his conviction in Kuwait for bribery.

On the same day, polls will be held in 371 union parishads (UPs) in the first phase and 11 municipalities in the sixth phase of the staggered elections, Election Commission Secretary Humayun Kabir Khandaker told a press briefing yesterday.

According to the schedule, the deadline for submitting nomination papers is on March 18.

Returning officers will examine the papers on March 19, and candidature cannot be withdrawn after March 24.

Electronic Voting Machines will be used in Laxmipur 2 by polls, 30 of the UPs and all of the municipalities.

On February 22, parliament secretariat issued a gazette notification announcing that the Laxmipur 2 constituency fell vacant because of Kazi Papul's moral turpitude.

The gazette has been in effect since January 28 when Papul was sentenced to four years of rigorous imprisonment by a Kuwait court.

The criminal court delivered the verdict almost eight months after Kuwait's Criminal Investigation Department arrested Papul, the managing director and CEO of Marafie Kuwaitia Group.

He was accused of human trafficking, labour exploitation and violation of the residency law, money laundering, and bribing Kuwaiti officials with millions of dollars to win contracts and to recruit Bangladeshi workers.

Registered political parties will directly participate in the UP election for the post of chairmen. Non-aligned candidates will only run for members and women's reserved seats.

There are 4,500 union parishads in the country.

The first five phases of the municipality polls were held on December 28, January 16, January 30, February 14 and February 28.

The ruling Awami League won 80 percent of the mayoral posts in 230 municipalities.