Several persons directly involved with the BNP and its ally Jamaat-e-Islami are likely to be appointed as presiding and assistant presiding officers for the upcoming elections to Pekua upazila parishad in Cox’s Bazar.
These individuals have already received the necessary training required for conducting the polls.
A vice-chairman candidate, Mohammad Nuruzzaman, is also in the list of presiding officers to be appointed for the upazila. Jamaat’s Pekua upazila unit Secretary Imtiaz Uddin has confirmed that Nuruzzaman, a lecturer at Besaratul Ulum Fazil Madrasa, is the president of the party’s Pekua sadar union unit.
Despite repeated attempts, Nuruzzaman was not available for comments.
Analysing the list of probable presiding officers, it was found that Fakruddin Farayezi, the co-convener of Chakaria municipal unit of the BNP, was appointed as a presiding officer.
BNP’s Tetong union President Joynal Abedin, Secretary Mohammad Yusuf, Shilkhali union Jubo Dal President Monirul Kabir, Rajakhali Union’s former secretary Mohammad Romiz, and Jamaat’s Pekua upazila Secretary Imtiaz Uddin, have been appointed as assistant presiding officers for the upcoming upazila poll.
Most of these BNP-Jamaat leaders are teachers in different schools, colleges or madrasas in Cox’s Bazar.
Wahidur Rahman Warachi, a chairman candidate backed by the Awami League, has alleged that the upazila nirbahi officer joined hands with BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed to “appoint” local BNP-Jamaat leaders as election officers.
Pekua upazila Jamaat Secretary Imtiaz Uddin, who is also a school teacher, said he was appointed as the assistant presiding officer.
“When I will start working as an election official, I will keep aside my political identity. I will work neutrally,” he said.
When contacted by the Dhaka Tribune, UNO Mir Shawkat Hossain, who is also the assistant returning officer for the upazila, claimed that the election officials would be appointed on February 24.
Asked how leaders of political parties were included in the list of presiding and assistant presiding officers, he said: “When the Election Commission sought a list of probable election officials, we asked heads of education institutions to send names of teachers who may discharge elections responsibilities. We have sent the list to the commission.”
He admitted that many school teachers were “directly or indirectly involved in party politics.”
“We will finalise the appointment of presiding and polling officers on February 24, three days ahead of the polling,” he said.
When asked how a vice-chairman candidate had been included in the list of the election officials, the UNO said: “There is no question of appointing a candidate as the presiding officer. He was not a candidate when the list was prepared.”
