An independent candidate in Brahmanbaria has become the talk of the town by winning the election for a union parishad (UP) chairman from behind bars.

According to the election results, Monirul Islam got 3,961 votes while his nearest rival Abdus Salam bagged 2,472 votes in Talshahor Purbo UP polls.

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Monirul is an accused in 14 cases linked to March last year's Hefazat-e-Islam violence in Brahmanbaria. He has already secured bail in 13 of these cases.

Md Hossain Mia, who was in-charge of Monirul's election campaign, said that Monirul has been kept in jail on false charges. "In his absence, his relatives and well-wishers have continued the campaign for him," he said.

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