Mashrafe Mortaza registers big victory in Bangladesh election, becomes country's first active cricketer elected as lawmaker

Dhaka: Bangladesh ODI captain Mashrafe Mortaza has registered a landslide victory in the 11th general elections, becoming the first active cricketer in the country to be elected as a lawmaker. Mortaza, an Awami League candidate for Narail-2 constituency, got 274,418 votes while his rival Jatiya Oikya Front alliance nominee Fariduzzaman Farhad received 8,006 votes, according to the results announced by the Election Commission. [caption id=“attachment_2676864” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Mashrafe Mortaza. AFP[/caption] The total number of votes in the Narail-2 constituency is 317, 844. Mortaza’s vote share amounts to over 96 per cent, the Dhaka Tribune reported. The 35-year-old pacer, known as the ‘Narail Express’, is the second national cricket team captain after Naimur Rahman Durjoy to become an MP. He is the first active player to achieve the honour, the report said. Mortaza filed his nomination last month. He became the first-ever sitting cricketer to try his luck in national politics. Polling in Bangladesh was held on Sunday. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s ruling Awami League-led alliance Monday swept to a landslide victory in the general elections, winning 288 seats in the 300-member Parliament.