JaPa thanks EC for suspending Gaibandha-5 by-election

Jatiya Party has thanked the Election Commission for suspending the by-election to the Gaibandha-5 constituency due to allegations of irregularities

Party chairman GM Quader on Wednesday (12 October) sent a statement to the media after the Election Commission took a rare decision of suspending the by-election following allegations of vote rigging through electronic voting machines (EVM) and driving opposition polling agents out of voting centres. 

Jatiya Party was main rival of ruling Awami League in the election as BNP boycotted the by-election. The Gaibandha-5 constituency fell vacant due to the death of Deputy Speaker Fazle Rabi MP. 

In the statement sent to the media, GM Quader said, "The goons of the ruling party forced the agents of Jatiya Party's plough symbol candidates out of the centres since morning." 

He alleged that AL workers prevented the voters from going to the polling centres, and the goons stationed themselves in the secret rooms of the booths and voted against the wishes of the voters. 

"Due to all these reasons, the Election Commission has already called off the voting for  Gaibandha-5 by-election. For this, we are thanking the Election Commission on behalf of the Jatiya Party," the statement read. 

All four opposition candidates, including Jatiya Party, boycotted the by-polls alleging vote rigging and voters being thrown out of the centres.

They announced their withdrawal from the election in a joint press conference earlier in the day.

The four boycotting candidates are – HM Golam Shaheed Ranju from Jatiya Party, Jahangir Alam, independent candidate Nahiduzzaman Nishad and Mahbubur Rahman.

They demanded a free and fair environment for the polls. The candidates alleged that Awami League men are forcing the voters with the help of the administration.