Dhaka-8: Mirza Abbas wins after narrow battle with Patwary
However, at two polling centres, Patwary was ahead of Abbas.
BNP Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas has been unofficially declared elected in the high-stakes Dhaka-8 constituency, defeating his nearest rival Nasiruddin Patwary in a contest that remained neck-and-neck until the final hours.
According to results announced by Dhaka Divisional Commissioner and Returning Officer Sharaf Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury at 4:25am today (13 February), Abbas secured 59,366 votes with the "Sheaf of Paddy" symbol.
His competitor, Nasiruddin Patwary, chief coordinator of the National Citizen Party (NCP) and candidate for the Jamaat-led 11-party alliance, polled 54,127 votes.
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Abbas's margin of victory stood at 5,239 votes.
Early trends from the evening had suggested a tighter race.
By 9:15pm yesterday, results from the first 17 centres showed Abbas leading by a slim margin of 1,997 votes.
While Patwary maintained a lead in several specific polling centres throughout the night, the veteran BNP leader ultimately consolidated his position as the remaining centres were tallied.
The Dhaka-8 race was among the most closely watched in the capital, pitting a seasoned political heavyweight against a prominent face of a new political party.
Polling began at 7:30am and concluded at 4:30pm. Nationwide, voting took place at 36,031 of 42,651 centres.
