PM Sheikh Hasina’s opponent BNP’s Afzal

BNP has nominated Afzal Hossain to fight head to head with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the upcoming general election from Gopalganj-3 constituency.

BNP finalised Afzal Hossein’s nomination along with those of 202 other seats. Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, secretary general of the BNP, declared the nominations.

The prime minister however will contest from the lone seat this year. Notably, since the restoration of parliamentary democracy in 1991, she has contested in the parliamentary elections from multiple constituencies.

ABOUT THE CONSTITUENCY

Gopalganj-3, comprising of Kotalipara and Tungipara Upazilas, is known to be thick with Awami League support for the family heritage Sheikh Hasina shares.

There are 246,514 voters in the upazila - 125,315 male voters and 121,199 females.

Other contestants from the seat are Md Maruf Sheikh from Islami Andolan Bangladesh, and independent candidates Md Uzir Fakir and Md Enamul Haque.

WHEN IS THE ELECTION?

The 11th general election will be held on December 30. It was deferred once by the Election Commission upon demands from the opposition political parties.

As per the polls schedule, the deadline for filing the nomination papers was November 28. Since then, the commission has been engaged in hearing appeals of rejected candidates.

After December 9, the last date for nomination withdrawal, the commission will allot polls symbols to contestant and open the field for campaigning.