Bangladesh
Gaibandha By-polls Officials involved in irregularities in Gaibandha by-election: Investigators
Own Correspondent, Dhaka, Oct 28: The investigation committee of the Election Commission (EC) has found the involvement of several presiding officers including an upazila executive officer in the irregularities of Gaibandha-5 by-election. Also, the involvement of several polling agents in the irregularities has come up in the investigation report. Investigation officers have also found some responsible persons who are not voters or citizens of Gaibandha-5 constituency.
The investigation committee constituted by the Election Commission submitted its report on the irregularities in the polling station in Gaibandha-5 by-election on Thursday (October 27). On the evening of the last day of the extended period fixed by EC, the committee headed by EC Additional Secretary Ashok Kumar Debnath submitted a report of around 600 pages to the EC Secretary. Among them, 50 pages of original report with recommendations and remaining 550 pages of evidence have been presented.
The other two members of the three-member committee formed on October 13 by convening Ashok Kumar Debnath are EC Joint Secretary Md. Shahedunnabi Chowdhury and Md. Kamal Uddin Biswas. After the formation of the committee, a deadline of seven working days was initially set for submission of the report, but later it was extended by another three days. Earlier, EC observed the by-election of Gaibandha-5 seat held on October 12 through CC cameras in Dhaka and first stopped the voting in 51 centers. Later, the EC announced the closure of the entire poll an hour and a half before the end of the poll due to widespread irregularities. The investigation report is prepared on the basis of the statement given by the concerned parties in the hearing.
According to EC sources, three members of the committee went to Saghata and Phulchari in Gaibandha to identify the irregularities in the closed polling stations.
According to the sources of the investigation committee, many of the people related to the election, including the field administration, and polling officers, who participated in the hearing, expressed their helplessness during the investigation that they were under various pressures on the day of the election. Highlighting the events of that day, the officers presiding over the investigation said that the polling environment was not under their control. Apart from capturing the center and spreading influence, many voters are forced to vote for certain symbols. In this situation, they were forced to give up control of the center. Still, they were forced to sign the paper saying that the vote was fair. Some of the presiding officers are said to have apologized in writing to the EC's inquiry committee.
