Thakurgaon Correspondent: Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Assistant Secretary General and Rangpur-Dinajpur regional director Maulana Abdul Halim has called on party activists to make all-out preparations to secure victory for Delawar Hossain, the nominated candidate of the 11-party alliance, in the upcoming by-election to the Thakurgaon-1 constituency.

He made the call while addressing a meeting of the by-election management committee at the Thakurgaon district Jamaat office on Wednesday afternoon.

The Thakurgaon-1 constituency comprises Thakurgaon Sadar, Ruhia and Bhulli. The by-election is scheduled to be held on October 29.

Abdul Halim said Jamaat had nominated Delawar Hossain as the alliance candidate in accordance with the decision of the 11-party alliance. He urged party workers to treat the election as a serious contest and work continuously with the goal of winning.

Referring to the parliamentary election held on February 12, he claimed that Jamaat had put up a strong contest but was denied victory through what he described as “result engineering.” He said the party would seek to demonstrate its strength by winning the upcoming by-election.

“Everyone must work tirelessly until October 29,” he told party activists.

Describing the by-election as an important contest for the organisation, Abdul Halim said it was not merely a local election for Thakurgaon. According to him, Jamaat Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman would directly oversee the election campaign, with leaders from different parts of the Rangpur-Dinajpur region also taking part in the campaign.

He also urged activists to participate in the Dhaka-Rangpur long march scheduled for September 19. He said the 11-party alliance was organising the programme over demands including implementation of the July 2024 mass uprising, the July Charter and the outcome of the referendum.

The Jamaat leader alleged that the incumbent government had failed to honour promises made to the people after assuming power. He said the alliance would continue its movement with public participation until its demands were addressed.

The meeting was chaired by Thakurgaon district Jamaat Ameer Professor Belal Uddin Pradhan.

Among others, Jamaat Central Executive Council member and assistant regional director of Rangpur-Dinajpur region Maulana Momtaz Uddin, Jamaat Central Executive Council member and former central president of Islami Chhatra Shibir Delawar Hossain, former Shibir central president Rajibur Rahman Palash, Dinajpur district Jamaat Ameer Professor Anisur Rahman, Panchagarh district Jamaat Ameer Professor Iqbal Hossain, Thakurgaon district Jamaat Secretary Mohammad Alamgir and Assistant District Secretary Principal Kafil Uddin Ahmed addressed the meeting.

Earlier, a separate programme was organised with women’s department officials of the Thakurgaon-1 constituency. Former district women’s department official Zakia Jabin and incumbent official Sahera Banu, among others, spoke at the programme.