Allegations of irregularities surfaced during the Bogura-6 by-election on Thursday, April 9, when a presiding officer was found taking premature signatures on result sheets and stamping ballots in advance. The incident occurred around 9:30 a.m. at Maltinagar Government Primary School and City Girls’ School polling centers. Jamaat-backed candidate Abidur Rahman Sohel raised the complaint after visiting the centers at 11:30 a.m., claiming that the officer was collecting signatures before vote counting had ended.

The accused officer, Nur Islam, a chemistry teacher at Government Azizul Haque College, initially said he took early signatures to save time but later admitted his mistake in front of a magistrate and media. Executive Magistrate Taswar Tanzamul Haque immediately seized and tore up the Form-16 documents, calling the act a serious administrative violation. The presiding officer was formally warned. However, a district election official described the incident as a mistake rather than a crime.

The by-election was held after BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman vacated the Bogura-6 seat, with voter turnout reported at 18 percent by 1 p.m., according to the district returning office.