The Election Commission will halt and reschedule the Gaibandha-3 election following the death of Jatiya Oikya Front candidate TIM Fazle Rabbi Chowdhury.
“As a candidate has died, we are waiting for the death certificate. Once we get it we will notify the commission. It will then be rescheduled,” Gaibandha-3 Returning Officer Sebastin Rema told bdnews24 on Thursday.
Chowdhury, a leader of Jatiya Party (Kazi Zafar), had been elected MP from Gaibandha-3 six times. The former minister had long suffered from heart diseases and died at the age of 84.
Chowdhury was taken to Dhaka’s United Hospital at 2am on Thursday after he fell ill. He died there later, party leaders said.
Election Commission Deputy Secretary Farhad Hossain said that if any candidate dies after the list had been finalised, the election will be halted, bdnews24 reported.
“According to the law the election will be rescheduled. The current candidates will remain on the list and new candidates may be added.”
As a result, ballots will be cast for 299 parliamentary seats on Dec 30. The new date for the Gaibandha-3 election will be announced later.
