Gaibandha-5 by-election held in a disciplined environment: CEC

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal on Wednesday said discipline was maintained at the voting centers during the Gaibandha-5 by-election.

He made the remarks while talking to journalists after monitoring the by-election to Gaibandha- 5 through CCTV cameras at Election Commission Bhaban in the capital’s Agargaon.

Blaming the cold weather for the low voter turnout, he said the EC has nothing to be satisfied or dissatisfied over the low voter turnout as it is their (voters) right to cast vote.

Asked whether the CCTV cameras will be used during the 12th parliamentary elections, he said CCTV cameras have important role in holding fair election but no decision has been taken yet in this regard.

He appreciated the role of district administration and  police saying that they performed their duties with professionalism.

The election was monitored directly from Dhaka through a total of 1,242 CCTV cameras.

The voting was monitored by CCTV cameras from 8 am at the EC control room on the fifth floor of the Election Commission building.

Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal, Election Commissioners Ahsan Habib Khan, Md. Alamgir, Rashida Sultana and Anisur Rahman monitored the polls.

On October 12 last year, the Election Commission (EC) suspended the by-election due to “rampant irregularities” on the election day and later the commission fixed January 4 for holding the polls.

Following the death of Gaibandha-5 lawmaker and Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Fazle Rabbi Miah on July 22, 2022, it became a constitutional obligation to hold election for the parliamentary seat by October 20, 2022. Accordingly it was scheduled for October 12.

A three-member committee was formed to look into the election irregularities on October 12 last year.

Following the recommendations of the committee, the Election Commission took punitive actions against 133 officials including an additional deputy commissioner, five sub-inspectors and returning officer of the election.