Gaibandha-5: A further election will be held on January 4

The Election Commission declared today that the Gaibandha-5 constituency will hold a re-election on January 4 of the next year.

The decision was decided by the EC at a meeting held this morning at the commission office in Agargaon, the capital, and presided over by Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal.

Following electoral irregularities, the EC halted the by-elections in the constituency on October 12.

After the meeting, Election Commission Secretary Jahangir Alam spoke with reporters and announced that voting would begin using EVM at 8:30am and last until 4:30pm. All polling places would be monitored by CCTV cameras, just like in the previous elections, he said.

According to the recommendations of a probe committee, the returning officer from the previous elections has been replaced.

Faridul Islam, election officer of Dhaka Region, will perform the duties of returning officer in the by-polls.

The 125 presiding officers, who were found negligent in performing duties during the October 12 by-polls, will not be allowed to discharge duties in the re-election.