Gaibandha by-elections begin

By-election has started in Gaibandha’s Sundarganj parliament constituency on Wednesday to elect a new lawmaker after former MP Manjurul Islam Liton was shot dead in December 2016.

The by-elections for the Gaibandha – 1 seat began on schedule at 8am on Wednesday, said election officials. Voting was taking place in 109 polling centres until 4pm.

Though turnout was low in the early hours of the polls, but EC officials believe it should increase as the day progresses.

Seven candidates are currently in the contest .

They are ruling Awami League party’s candidate Golam Mostofa Ahmed and the Jatiya Party (Ershad) candidate Shamim Haider, JaSaD’s Mohammed Ali Pramanik, Jatiya Party (JP) candidate Waheduzzaman Sarkar Badshah, Gono Front’s Shariful Islam, NPP’s Zia Zaman Khan and independent candidate Mostofa Mohsin.

The seat fell vacant on Dec 31, 2016 , the day Awami League MP, Manjurul Islam Liton, was murdered in his own home.

Gaibandha – 1 at a glance

>>The seat comprises  of one Sundarganj municipality and 15 unions

>>Voting is underway at 637 voting booths in 109 polling centres

>> 333,426 voters are registered to exercise their franchise in the by-election -- 170,841 women and 162,585 men

>>109 presiding officers, 637 assistant presiding officers and 1,274 polling officers are working to conduct the election

Rangpur area Regional Election Official GM Shahatab Uddin is the returning officer for this bye-election.

“The 54th polling centre is the most vulnerable,” he said. “ There are also 15 polling centres in remote areas of the constituency considered sensitive.”

“There is no need for concern,” said Gaibandha Superintendent of Police Md Mashrukur Rahman Khaled. “All necessary precautions have been taken so that voters can cast their ballots without fear.”

4,000 police and para-military personnel have been deployed at five levels for the polls. Plainclothes security, in addition to police, RAB, BGB and Ansar, are working to secure the area, said SP Khaled.

Executive magistrate-led mobile courts are also active in various areas of Sundarganj and are accompanied by police teams, he said.