It's a BNP body, villagers say

While talking to this correspondent most of the villagers told him that despite a massive propaganda, Gram Sarkar has failed to draw the attention of the masses and the bodies were formed in an undemocratic way.

It is a body of BNP and the main opposition parties including Awami League and Jatiya Party are "unwanted" in it, they said.

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In most cases, predetermined committees were announced at gatherings at venues where polls were supposed to be held, they said.

In the committees, 80 per cent posts are "occupied" by BNP and 20 per cent by Jamaat-e-Islami men, they said.

Beginning on August 4, 531 Gram Sarkar bodies are to be formed in 59 unions in six upazilas of the district by September 10.

Till August 17, 190 bodies were formed out of targeted 205. The process was suspended in 15 villages due to clashes.

More than 100 people including 2 Ansars and three members of Gram Police were injured in clashes between rival groups till August 17. Of them 10 were admitted to hospitals.

Of the 15 villages where the process has been suspended, six are in Jaldhaka upazila, three in Dimla, four in Kisoreganj and one in Saidpur upazila.