Shirin Sharmin had earlier bought the nomination papers for a seat reserved for women
- File photo of Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury
Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury has bought nomination papers to contest the by-election in the Rangpur 6 constituency vacated by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Speculation was rife in political circle that the PM’s son Sajib Wazed Joy might contest the by-poll. Hasina was elected in Rangpur 6 and Gopalganj 3 seats in the January 5 election.
Shirin Sharmin had earlier bought the nomination papers for a seat reserved for women.
The Rangpur 6 by-poll will take place on February 20.
The last day for submission of the nomination papers is January 27 and its scrutiny will take place on January 28. February 3 is the last day for withdrawal of the candidature.
According to the electoral rule, the Election Commission can announce Shirin the winner on February 3 if she remains the lone candidate and her nomination papers are submitted correctly.
The EC is yet to announce the schedule for the women’s reserved seats. EC officials say the government must amend the law on electing the 50 women MPs in the reserved seats.
“One of my leaders in Rangpur has bought the nomination paper for me. I will contest [the poll] if the party nominates me,” Shirin told the Dhaka Tribune.
She said she would prefer the by-poll in the women’s reserved seat.
It is not yet clear whether the Jatiya Party will field any candidate for the Rangpur seat, which is considered as a stronghold of HM Ershad’s party. Ershad recently expressed his desire to see his brother get elected in the seat.
But Sheikh Hasina told the Jatiya Party leaders that she would nominate Shirin in the seat.
Shirin, who was elected the MP for the women’s reserved seat in 2009, was elected the speaker on April 30 last year as her predecessor Abdul Hamid was elected the president.
She has earned a reputation for working impartially in the House.
Many Awami League MPs who opposed her appointment now desire to see her re-elected.
Shirin earlier announced that she would contest the 10th general elections in Noakhali 1 (Chatkhil) constituency on an Awami League ticket. But the party did not nominate her.
Meanwhile, the possibility of Shirin’s re-election as the speaker gets slimmer as the House goes into session on January 29. According to the constitution, the speaker must be an MP.
At the inaugural session, she must elect a new speaker and hand over power immediately.
Source: Dhaka Tribune