<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Voting for the by-election in Dhaka-17 constituency and election in seven municipalities of seven districts are underway today.</span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Voting started at 8 am, and it will continue till 4 pm without any break.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Voting will be held with the use of traditional ballot papers in the parliamentary by-election, unlike the recent city corporation polls where electronic voting machines were used.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Tight security measures have been taken to ensure peaceful voting, authorities said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the Dhaka-17 constituency, eight candidates are running in the race to be elected member of the parliament. The seat comprising Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara and part of Dhaka Cantonment fell vacant after the death of popular actor and freedom fighter Akbar Hossain Pathan Farooque on May 14 this year.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The contestants are Mohammad Ali Arafat of Bangladesh Awami League (with boat symbol), Sikder Anisur Rahman of Jatiya Party (plough), independent candidate Ashraful Hossain Alam (monochord), Kazi Rashidul Hasan of Zaker Party (rose), Akter Hossain of Bangladesh Sangskritik Muktijote (cane), independent candidate Tariqul Islam Bhuiyan (truck), Rezaul Karim Swapan of Bangladesh Congress (green coconut) and Sheikh Habibur Rahman of Trinamul BNP (golden fibre).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">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 Dhaka cantonment area.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On June 1, the Election Commission announced the by-election schedule for Dhaka-17 which fell vacant following the death of ruling Awami League MP Akbar Hossain Pathan alias Farooque. UNB</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>