Tarique Rahman vacates Bogura-6, retains Dhaka-17

BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman has vacated Bogura-6 seat for by-election as he is set to take oath as a member of parliament from Dhaka-17 constituency tomorrow (17 February).

According to the Representation of the People Order, an individual may contest elections in up to three constituencies, whereas under the Constitution, a member of parliament is permitted to represent only a single seat.

Speaking to reporters at the Election Commission headquarters in Dhaka today (16 February), EC Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said, “We have received a letter addressed to the chief election commissioner stating that BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman has vacated the Bogura-6 constituency.”

He added that the commission will now initiate the process of issuing a gazette notification declaring the seat vacant, following which the schedule for a by-election will be announced.

Tarique Rahman has been elected from both Dhaka-17 and Bogura-6 constituencies in the 13th national parliamentary election.

In Bogura-6, Tarique was declared elected with 2,16,284 votes, defeating Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Abidur Rahman Sohel, who received 97,626 votes, as announced by Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer Md Toufiqul Rahman.

In Dhaka-17, Tarique won by securing 72,699 against Jamaat-e-Islami candidate SM Khaliduzzaman who got 68,300, as announced by Dhaka Divisional Commissioner and Returning Officer Sharaf Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury.

On 13 February, the EC published a gazette of 297 elected MP candidates.

The election results for Chattogram-2 and Chattogram-4 were withheld by court order, while the Sherpur-3 election had been earlier cancelled due to the death of a contesting candidate.

The newly elected MPs are set to take oath as members of the 13th parliament and also members of the Constitution Reform Council tomorrow morning.