DNCC by-polls on Feb 26

By-election to Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) mayoral post will be held on February 26, said Election Commission officials.

Elections in the 36 new wards, which have been included in DNCC and Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), will also be held on the day, the officials added.

Besides, by-polls to Gaibandha-1 and Brahmanbaria-1 constituencies will be on March 13. Ruling Awami League lawmakers in those constituencies have passed away recently.

The decisions were made at a meeting of the EC with Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda in the chair at the Nirbachan Bhaban yesterday. 

After the meeting, EC acting secretary Helaluddin Ahmed told journalists that the schedule of the by-election to the DNCC would be announced on January 9.

The DNCC mayoral post became vacant after Mayor Annisul Huq passed away on November 30 last year. On December 1, the Local Government Division declared the post vacant.

The ruling AL is likely to nominate Atiqul Islam, former-president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, as its candidate, while the BNP is expected to pick party leader Tabith Awal, who ran against AL contender Annisul in the previous election.

In terms of population, the DNCC is the country's largest city corporation with 23.45 lakh     voters.

In the previous election on April 28, 2015, BNP-backed Tabith boycotted the polls halfway on the voting day, bringing allegations of widespread rigging. 

In November 2011, the AL-led government split the Dhaka city corporation into two.

The first election to the undivided DCC was held in January 1994, and Mohammad Hanif became the first elected mayor.

AL lawmaker Golam Mostafa of Gaibandha-1 passed away after a road accident on December 19 and Sayedul Haque of Brahmanbaria-1, also fisheries and livestock minister, at Bangabandhu Sheikh    Mujib Medical University on December 16.