With the Supreme Court paving the way for Aushkandi union parishad polls in Habiganj, candidates vying for the chairman position are making an all-out effort to woo the electorate. The polls are slated for November 28.
Four candidates are vying for the chairman's post —Awami League-backed candidate Delwar Hossain, and independent candidates Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury, Abdul Hamid Nixon and Ezharul Islam.
Some 20,000 people are eligible to cast their ballots in the UP polls on Sunday.
READ: NSDA executive chairman visits Chevron’s Uttoron project in Sylhet, Habiganj
Five residents of Dwigor Brahman, including Nishi Sutra Dhar, had filed an application with the secretary of the Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives (LGRD) Ministry, seeking inclusion of their village under Khalilpur union of Moulvibazar district.
After scrutiny, the deputy commissioner of the district had turned down the plea.
Meanwhile, incumbent chairman of Aushkandi UP, Muhibur Rahman Harun, adopted a resolution, seeking not to insert Dwigor Brahman village under his union. A writ petition was filed in the High Court (HC) in this regard.
On February 28, the HC also issued a rule asking the authorities concerned as to why the inclusion of Dwigor Brahman village under Aushkandi union should not be declared illegal.
Seven people, including the secretary of LGRD Minsitry, deputy commissioners of Habiganj and Moulvibazar district, were made respondents to the rule which was returnable in four weeks.
In the meantime, the Election Commission announced the schedule of the UP election.
On November 1, the current chairman of Aushkandi union filed a writ petition in the HC, seeking a stay order on the election under the union.
The HC later asked the authorities concerned to take a final decision on demarcating the boundary of the union within 15 days.
READ: 3 killed in Habiganj road crash
On November 23, the HC passed a stay order on the Aushkandi union parishad election. However, on November 24, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court cleared the way for holding the election, after imposing a stay on the HC order.
Delwar Hossain, an AL-backed chairman candidate, said, “A vested quarter is involved in playing a foul game over the election. The residents of Dwigor Brahman village have been casting their ballots under Aushkandi union since the Independence of the country.”
Taking a stance against the SC order, Muhibur Rahman said that Dwigor Brahman village is under Sadar upazila of Moulvibazar district and the residents of the village go to Moulvibazar for land registry purposes.
"But all development activities of the village have been carried out from the budgetary allocation of Aushkandi union," he said.