United News of Bangladesh

Three presiding officers have been withdrawn in Faridpur and Jhenaidah districts over allegations of irregularities while a presiding officer was physically assaulted at a polling centre in Sylhet. In Faridpur, two presiding officers were withdrawn from separate constituencies over allegations of allowing unauthorised persons to enter polling centres. The withdrawn officials are Md Al Amin of Hitaishi High School centre in Faridpur-3 (Sadar) and Zahidul Islam of Ashapur Madrasha centre in Faridpur-1 (Alfadanga-Boalmari-Madhukhali). Faridpur Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer Mohammad Kamrul Hasan Molla said new presiding officers have been appointed in their place. In Jhenaidah, Jesmin Ara, presiding officer of Salimunnessa Girls’ School centre under Jhenaidah-4 constituency, was removed after 23 pre-signed result sheets were recovered on Wednesday night. Jhenaidah Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer Abdullah Al Masud said such irresponsible conduct would not be tolerated in the interest of holding a free and fair election. A new presiding officer, Shamsuzzaman Khan, a senior lecturer at Kaliganj Shaheed Nur Ali College, has been appointed. Jesmin Ara later claimed she had signed the result sheets unintentionally and tore them up after realising her mistake. In Sylhet, a presiding officer of Sylhet-3 constituency was assaulted following a dispute over the entry of a candidate’s agent at Mahishashi polling centre in Balaganj upazila around 11:30pm on Wednesday. Additional Deputy Commissioner (Media) Saiful Islam said three people attempted to enter Shahjalal Jamiya Islamia School and College polling centre in Sylhet city, posing as election observers. Local residents later detained them and handed them over to police. Law enforcers also recovered several bamboo sticks from Chowkidekhi petrol pump area in the city late at night. Sylhet Returning Officer and Deputy Commissioner Sarwar Alam said no one is permitted to enter polling centres at night.