Former minister Abdul Latif Siddique – also former Awami League presidium member and MP – filed a complaint against Tangail Kalihati police station officer-in-charge (OC) on Wednesday.
Allegations regarding violation of election rules, extortion from arrestees, collecting information of polling agents, issuing threats and intimidation have surfaced against Kalihati police station OC Mir Mosharof Hossain.
Latif Siddique, an independent candidate for the Tangail 4 constituency, filed a complaint to the inspector general of police (IGP) via e-mail and fax on Wednesday night.
However, OC Mosharof Hossain, talking to the Dhaka Tribune on Friday, said the allegations brought against him are untrue and unsubstantial. It was done intentionally just to humiliate him, he added.
According to sources close to Latif Siddique, Mosharof recently arrested four individuals named Akbar, Nousher, Bellal, and Hossain Ali, from different areas of the upazila and extorted money from them promising their release, but later processed them to jail under random ghost cases.
Latif Siddique, in his written complaint stated the OC has been spreading panic in the electoral areas. On several occasions, he has arrested individuals and handed them over to higher authorities. There has been an increase in these activities with the elections drawing closer.
He also said that OC Mosharof Hossain has also been intimidating agents, collecting their names and threatening to arrest them under ghost cases, hampering the election environment.
He asked that the matter be thoroughly investigated and necessary action be taken to preserve the genial atmosphere of the upcoming elections.
On November 25, Latif Siddique officially announced he would contest the election as an independent candidate for Tangail 4 constituency. Subsequently, he submitted his nomination, which was considered valid.
Awami League incumbent MP Imam Khan Sohel has been nominated for the same constituency.