Arafat casts vote at Gulshan Model High School centre

Awami League-backed candidate Mohammad A Arafat cast his vote in Dhaka-17 by-polls at Gulshan Model High School and College centre in Gulshan-2 around 11am on Monday. 

After casting vote, he said he is very optimistic about winning the by-election.

The voting began at 8 am and will continue till 4 pm without any break.

A total of 3,25,205 people are eligible voters. Of them, the number of women voters is 1,53,580.

Eight persons are contesting the by-election.

Ruling Awami League's candidate is Mohammad Ali Arafat, Shikder Anisur Rahman of Jatiya Party, Kazi Md Rashidul Hasan of Jaker Party, Sheikh Habibur Rahman of Trinomool BNP, Md Rezaul Islam Swapan of Bangladesh Congress and Md Akbar Hossain of Bangladesh Sangskritik Mukti Jote.

Independent candidates are Md Ashraful Alam (Hero Alam) and Md Tariqul Islam.

Dhaka-17 seat fell vacant since the death of actor Akbar Hossain Pathan, Member of Parliament from the constituency on May 15.