An election officer of Rangpur's Mithapukur upazila has been suspended for allegedly asking for bribe from a candidate in the seventh phase of the union parishad (UP) polls.
Md Abdul Hannan was temporarily suspended by the Election Commission (EC) on Sunday, said Rangpur Regional Election Officer and Returning Officer GM Shahtab Uddin
According to the EC sources, on the day of the UP polls, Rafiqul Islam, a UP member candidate of Balarhat union had complained that Hannan had asked for Tk4.5 lakh from him. In return, Hannan promised to declare him the winner. Rafiqul later paid Hannan Tk3.5 lakh as per their agreement.
Meanwhile, a recording of their phone call went viral on social media before the polls began. The leaked conversation between the candidate and the election official had created a lot of agitation in the upazila.
Md Abdul Hannan was withdrawn from his duties in Rangpur, and was transferred to Kurigram Election Office. An investigation committee was also formed to look into the allegation against him.
Hannan, however, has denied the accusations of bribery from the beginning.
