A no-confidence motion, seeking to oust the Union Parishad chairman for alleged corruption, was brought at a meeting of the members in Magura Sadar upazila yesterday.
Any Union Parishad chairman stands removed by the government upon a non-confidence motion brought by no less than seven members against him.
In a written statement by 11, out of 12, the members said, “We, the members of Kachundi Union Parishad, have today brought a no-confidence motion against Chairman Baki Billah Shantu for his involvement in corruption.”
According to the statement, Chairman Shantu had embezzled Tk4 lakh by illegally cutting down trees from road sides in Belnagar area and taken a bribe of Tk2 lakh while leasing Kachundi bazar and Ramnagar hat of the union.
The chairman had collected Tk1 lakh tax from six brick fields and embezzled it instead of depositing with the parishad account. He had also been involved in an anomaly of Tk50 thousand in 2013-14 fiscal year.
Speaking to the Dhaka Tribune, Union Parishad member Abdul Mannan said: “We have submitted our no-confidence motion to the upazila nirbahi officer against our chairman.
“We hope he will take steps regarding this and inform the relevant ministry so that they look into this well and take steps for removing the chairman from office immediately.'
Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Abdur Razzak admitted to have received the joint statement of the members of Kachundi Union Parishad and said: “Necessary action will follow an investigation into this.”
Chairman Baki Billah Shantu however denied all the allegations brought against him by the Union Parishad members and said some of the members had demanded illegal facility from him which he had denied resulting in such a motion against him.
“Most members side with me but two influential members have forced the others to go with them in bringing this motion against me.”