UP chairmen demand UNO's removal

They gave a seven-day deadline and warned of tougher agitation for non-compliance.

The UP chairmen alleged that the UNO harasses local body members and often misbehaves with them.

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At the press conference, Hassan Ali Mia, chairman of Tampat UP union, read out a written statement which contained signatures of nine UP chairmen. The signatories were also present at the press conference held at a hotel in the town.

Asked by journalists, Hasan Ali said, the UNO never released any file within at least 25 days of its submission.

Unnecessary delay in releasing files hampered work of development projects in all unions in the upazila, he said.

Hassan Ali also alleged that the UNO is reluctant to pay one per cent of the money collected as land tax from unions though it is 'mandatory'.

When contacted later, UNO Siddiqur Rahman denied the allegations and said a number of 'corrupt' UP chairmen who could not take undue privilege from him held the press conference.

"I always do everything as per rules. This might hurt some of the chairmen. I can not ignore government order in connection with development programmes under union parishads," he said.