Gaibandha: Voting in the election to Gaibandha-1 by-election is underway on Tuesday amid festive mood.

Starting at 8:00am, the voting will end at 4:00pm at 109 polling centres without any break.

As many as 338,000 people – 164,934 male and 173,622 female—are expected to cast their votes to elect their representative in the 10 parliament.

Awami League candidate Afruza Bari, Jatiya Party candidate Barrister Shamim Haidar Patwary, National People’s Party (NPP) candidate Zia Jaman and Gono Front candidate Md Shariful Islam – are vying in the by-election.

Adequate security measure has been taken to ensure holding the election in a peaceful manner.  

A total of 43 mobile teams, including three River Police patrol teams and three border patrol teams, have been deployed in the voting areas

The seat fell vacant following the death of Gaibandha-1 MP Golam Mostafa on December 19 from his injuries he suffered in a road accident a month earlier.

Earlier on March 22, 2017, another by-election was held in the constituency which fell vacant following the murder of rulingAwami League lawmaker Manzurul Islam Liton in December, 2016.