Ruling Awami League-nominated MP Mohammad A Arafat has secured victory in the Dhaka-17 by-polls by a huge margin.
Returning Officer Monir Hossain Khan announced the unofficial result on Monday evening.
Mohammad A Arafat received 28,816 votes while his closest rival Ashraful Hossen Alom (ektara), better known as “Hero Alom”, an independent candidate contesting Dhaka-17 by-election received 5,609 votes.
The voter turnout was 11.51%.
Earlier in the morning, Mohammad A Arafat said he is confident of securing victory after casting his vote at a polling centre in Dhaka’s Gulshan at around 11:10am.
The voting ended at 4pm on Monday, and authorities said no untoward incidents were reported.
However, Hero Alom, was subjected to a physical assault in Dhaka’s Banani area.
Mohammad A Arafat, at a briefing at his election office, condemned the attack and demanded exemplary punishment against those miscreants who were involved in this incident.
Election Commissioner Md Alamgir assured that action will be taken against those involved in physically assaulting Hero Alom.
A total of eight MP candidates contested in the by-polls. The candidates are Mohammad Arafat (Boat), Ashraful Hossen Alom alias Hero Alom (Ektara), Major (retd) Sikder Anisur Rahman (Plough), Kazi Md Rashedul Hassan Rashed (Rose), Major (retd) Sheikh Habibur Rahman (Sonali Aash), Rezaul Islam Swapan (Green Coconut), Mohammad Akhter Hossain (Chari) and Tarikul Islam Bhuiyan (Truck).
The number of voters is 325,205 under 125 polling stations in the Dhaka-17 constituency, which comprises wards 15,18,19 and 20 of Dhaka North City Corporation as well as the Dhaka cantonment area.
The Dhaka-17 constituency, consisting of Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara, and a portion of the Dhaka Cantonment, fell vacant following the death of actor Akbar Hossain Pathan Farooque.
It holds the distinction of being the most affluent constituency in the capital.
