EC reminds home ministry about law after reinstatement of SP Harun in Gazipur

The Election Commission has reminded the home ministry about the law stating that it was ‘wrong’ to reinstate Harun-or Rashid as superintendent of Gazipur police without informing it in the midst of an election.

The police official will not be able to return to Gazipur before mid-June.

EC Secretary Sirazul Islam served the reminder in a letter to the home ministry’s senior secretary on Friday.

Islam referred to election laws that make it mandatory for the government to consult the commission while transferring officials involved in election-related work during voting.

Section 89 of the Local Government (Union Parishad) Election Rules says the government cannot transfer some officials, including deputy commissioner, SP, and Upazila executive officer, without consulting the EC before 15 days from the publication of gazette notifying the results of election in an area.

Secretary Islam said elections would be held in different union councils in Gazipur until June 4, so SP Rashid would not be able to return to the district until June 19.

The EC had ordered withdrawal of Rashid and two OCs of Kapasia and Sreepur police stations on Apr 23, two days ahead of the third phase of Union Parishad elections, following the murder of a member aspirant at Sreepur.

The home ministry on May 3 issued a notification reposting Rashid in Gazipur.

Secretary Islam said the EC received the order on Rashid’s reinstatement on Thursday.