All preparations have been completed to hold elections at 206 centres here were polls have been suspended on January 5.
Election Office sources said as many as 5, 84,913 voters will exercise their right of franchise Thursday at the postponed centres under four upazilas of the district to elect the MPs.Of the total, 1, 58,209 voters would cast their votes at 54 centres out of 109 in Gaibandha-1 (Sundarganj) constituency, 2, 26,627 voters at 80 centres out of 130 in Gaibandha-3 (Palashbari-Sadullapur) constituency and 2,00,077 voters at 72 centres out of 130 in Gaibandha-4 (Gobindaganj) constituency.District election officer M. Shahinoor Islam Pramanik said the Election Commission (EC) suspended voting in those centres on January 5 as the ballot boxes and election papers were snatched and miscreants created obstruction to stop election officials’ in reaching the polling stations.Superintendent of police, M. Moffazel Hossain said three-tier security measures have been taken in three constituencies to hold election peacefully.Hundreds of law enforcers have been deployed to maintain law and order in those constituencies so that the voters can cast their votes smoothly in a peaceful environment, he added.In addition, mobile teams and striking forces have been drawn from Bangladesh Army, RAB and police to patrol the constituencies. Mobile and summary courts, led by magistrates, would try the violators of law during the polling.Deputy Commissioner and returning officer M. Ehsan-E-Elahi said necessary steps including tight security measures have been taken to hold the election peacefully.He sought cooperation of all, particularly the election officials concerned and the voters in this regard.In reply to a question, the DC also said that a total of 10 candidates are contesting in the election from the three constituencies out of five in the district. –BSS, Gaibandha
