Polls preparation hampered in 6 N dists for lack of staff
No regular DEO in 3 dists, 23 upazilas lack UEO, steno typists work as UEO in 10 upazilas
Activities of election offices in six northern districts are being greatly hampered due to shortage of manpower.
The problem has slowed down the on going process of framing voter lists and preparation of national identity cards, official sources said.
Preparations for the planned November 18 parliamentary election are also being affected due to lack of election officials and other staff both at upazila and district levels.
In some upazilas, even steno typists are working as upazila election officers but the authorities are yet to take steps to solve the problem, they said while talking to this correspondent.
Sources said there is no district election officer (DEO) in Nilphamari, Kurigram, Thakurgaon and Panchagarh. Only Gaibandha and Lalmonirhat have regular DEOs.
Of the total 37 upazilas in the six districts, 23 upazilas have no upazila election officer (UEO).
Steno typists are working as UEOs in 10 of the 23 upazilas.
These are Saidpur upazial in Nilphamari; Fulbari and Ulipur in Kurigram; Saghata, Fulcehhari and Sadullahpur in Gaibandha; Kaliganj in f Lalmonirhat; Horipur in Thakurgaon and Boda and Deviganj in Panchagarh. They are given current charge of UEO in those upazilas, official sources said.
In the rest 13 upazials, UNO, AC land and upazila agriculture officers are holding charge of UEO as their additional responsibilities.
Thse upazilas are Jaldhaka, Domar and Kishorganj of Nilphamari district; oumari and Bhurungamari in Kurigram; Polashbari, Gobindaganj and Sundarganj in Gaibandha; Patgram, Hatibandha and Aditmari in Lalmonirhat and Ranisankail in Thakurgaon district.
There is virtually no progress in election-related works in the upazilas as those officials as they have little time for that after doing their routine work, the sources said.
Besides, there is no office assistant in election offices in Dimla, Fulbari, Ulipur, Roumari, Kurigram sadar, Saghata, Sadullapur, Aditmari, Baliadangi, Boda and Deviganj upazilas. Usually, office assistants do all the official works.
AS per law, an upazila election office should be manned with UEO, office assistant and office peon.
But in Roumari Aditmari, there is no office assistant to assist the DEO. AC land in Roumari and UEO in Lalmonirhat Sadar work as acting DEO in the two upazilas.
The acting district election officer on Nilphamari who is also the regular UEO of sadar upazila Sakander Ali told that they face difficulty to carry out additional responsibility. But they have to do their works properly as election related matters are sensitive.
Talking to this correspondent yesterday, Zelhasuddin Ahamed, acting district election officer in Kurigram, said he several times informed higher authorities about the problem, but to no effect.
The caretaker government sacked a number of UEOs months back as they were recruited on political consideration during the last BNP-Jamaat government. The vacant posts are yet to be filled, the sources said.
When contacted, Deputy Election Commissioner Suvash Chandra Sarkar in Rangpur said that the authorities started the recruitment process last month to fill up the vacant posts. But the High Court stayed the process as the sacked election officials filed a writ.
He however said the government would immediately take steps to solve the problem.
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