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Niece or uncle?

Kapasia by-polls today

Staff Correspondent
The Election Commission is all set as Kapasia upazila in Gazipur goes to byelection today amid boycott by the main opposition BNP.
The BNP had earlier announced it would not contest any elections under the present government and the EC, saying polls would not be free and fair under them.
The incumbent EC, constituted in February this year, however, is taking this election as a test to prove its neutrality and sincerity.
“We have warned all three MP aspirants that the Election Commission will take stern actions if they or their supporters violate the electoral code of conduct
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on election day,” Returning Officer Mihir Sarwar Morshed told The Daily Star yesterday.
He added that the commission was all prepared to conduct the polls. Measures had been taken to ensure tight security so people could cast their votes without any hindrance.
The Gazipur-4 (Kapasia) seat fell vacant on July 7 after the resignation of ruling Awami League lawmaker TanjimAhmad SohelTaj, son of Tajuddin Ahmad, the wartime prime minister of Bangladesh.
His sister Simeen Hussain Rimi and uncle Afsaruddin Ahmad appear to be the two main contenders in the by-polls. Rimi is running on the AL ticket and Afsaruddin as an independent candidate.
The Communist Party of Bangladesh-backed Asadullah Badal is the other contestant in the polls.
Kapasia has over 2.1 lakh voters, 1.1 lakh of them women. The number of polling centres is 102.
Ballot boxes, ballot papers and other election materials were sent to the polling centres by yesterday afternoon under the supervision of respective presiding officers, who were escorted by two teams of police and the Rapid Action Battalion.
Voting and other polls-related activities will be recorded through webcams
inside 43 risky voting booths, the returning officer said.
Eleven teams of police and Rab led by 22 magistrates have been deployed at all 11 unions of Kapasia. Besides, there will be four mobile striking teams to assist them, he added.
The RO also said four teams of Border Guard Bangladesh led by as many magistrates have been deployed to patrol the Shitalakhya river. Besides, several check posts have been installed at the entrances to Kapasia.
Different foreign missions in Dhaka including the US embassy as well as local election observer groups will monitor the polls, EC sources said.
The government has declared a public holiday for the constituency where voting will begin at 8:00am and continue till 4:00pm without any break.
A good number of voters, especially garment workers in Dhaka and Tongi, however, might not be able to cast their votes, as their factories will remain open today.
The three MP aspirants spent the day yesterday mostly at their houses, contacting personally with the voters and giving instructions to their polling agents, sources said.
The EC had earlier set a deadline till Friday midnight for electioneering.
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