EC orders replacing Bagerhat UNO

The Election Commission (EC) yesterday in a letter asked the Ministry of Public Administration to immediately replace Bagerhat's Chitalmari Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Farid Hossain over allegations of abuse of power.

Sources said the abuse took place during submission and scrutiny of applications seeking candidacy for the union parishad elections, scheduled to be held on March 22. AL chairmen candidates in seven unions stand to be elected uncontested.

Quoting EC Deputy Secretary Shamsul Alam, Bagerhat Election Officer Ruhul Amin Mallik said the allegations were over biasness, illegal orders, threats and misbehaviour and that an investigation would be launched.

BRAHMANBARIA

Meanwhile, talking to journalists over phones, Returning Officer Bashirul Haque Bhuiyan said preparations were underway to ensure law and order during the municipality election, scheduled for March 20, as 35 out of 48 polling centres were "risky".

Moreover, the district Awami League (AL) General Secretary Al Mamun Sarkar, at a press conference in the press club in the afternoon, announced that the party would prevent madrasa students, except voters, from entering polling centres.

PIROJPUR

Independent chairman candidate Gazi Siddikur Rahman of Shialkathi union, at a press conference in the press club, demanded that Kawkhali Police Station's officer-in-charge, Jahangir Hossain, be removed for harassing him and not prosecuting those bothering him.

The OC denied the allegations.

PABNA

At least 10 houses were torched in Bharara union in the morning with the Pabna Police Station OC, Abdulla Al Hasan, apprehending it might be connected to a rivalry between Sultan Mahamud, who is seeking AL nomination, and the present chairman, Abu Sayeed.

Locals said supporters of Sayeed, from the AL, were angered as Sultan hung posters seeking nomination.

Sultan claimed to The Daily Star that Sayeed's men set fire to the houses which he said belonged to his supporters. Talking to local journalists, Sayeed denied the allegations, saying he was not aware of the matter.

JAMALPUR

AL's sadar upazila unit expelled two leaders of Titpolla union parishad, Harun-or-Rashid and Sohrab Hossain, for seeking candidacy in the upcoming polls by going against the party decision, informed the unit president, Dr Abdul Mannan.

Elections to 732 union parishads will be held on March 22 in the first phase, 643 on March 31 in the second phase and 680 in the third phase on April 23. Some 2,200 more will go to polls in three other phases until June.