EC stops Gaibandha-5 by-elections
The Election Commission (EC) has stopped the by-elections to Gaibandha-5 constituency over irregularities.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal made the announcement in a press conference on Wednesday noon.
He said the by-elections have been stopped as the situation goes out of control.
Earlier, all candidates of Gaibandha-5 (Fulchhari-Saghata) by-elections, except the Awami League (AL) nominated candidate, boycotted the polls alleging irregularities in the voting.
The four candidates boycotted the by-elections at a press conference held at Bogervita Government Primary School premises in Saghata Upazila around 11:30 am.
They are HM Golam Shaheed Ranju of Jatiya Party, Jahangir Alam Kula, of Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh, individual candidates Nahiduzzaman Nishad and Mahbubur Rahman.
The voting started at 88 centres in Saghata upazila and 57 in Fulchhari upazila at 8am. Later, the Election Commission (EC) postponed the voting at 43 polling centres over irregularities.
It is to be noted that Fazle Rabbi Miah, Deputy Speaker of Jatiya Sangsad and Member of Parliament (MP) of Gaibandha-5 constituency, died on July 22 at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, USA. Two days later, the Sangsad Secretariat declared the seat vacant.
