BNP complains over appointment of election officer from ‘Jamaat-run school’

“The complaint will be examined and necessary steps will be taken,” says Assistant Returning Officer Mehdi Hasan Manik

At least 14 teachers from an unregistered educational institution “run with the patronage of Jamaat-e-Islami” have been appointed as election officials in Sunamganj’s Tahirpur for the 13th parliamentary election, BNP has complained.

Tahirpur Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) and Assistant Returning Officer Mehdi Hasan Manik said that he has received the complaint from Junab Ali, chief agent of the BNP’s candidate for Sunamganj-1 and joint convener of the Upazila BNP, and the matter is being looked into.

The Sunamganj-1 constituency comprises the Tahirpur, Jamalganj, Madhyanagar and Dharampasha Upazilas. BNP candidate Kamruzzaman Kamrul is contesting the seat against Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Tofael Ahmed.

According to the complaint, “Despite the availability of experienced teachers from Tahirpur Government School, 14 teachers have been appointed from a kindergarten as an exception. The institution, Ideal Vision Academy, is locally known as an institution following the ideology of a certain political party.”

“Locals also say the kindergarten was established and is run under the patronage of a local Jamaat-e-Islami leader.”

Junab told reporters, “The appointment of 14 teachers from an unregistered and controversial institution is suspicious. Everyone knows this institution belongs to Jamaat. Despite the availability of hundreds of government school teachers, recruiting people from that institution is raising questions.”

Amin Huda, organising secretary of the Badaghat Union Swecchasebak Dal, said, “People of the area and the administration all know that this is a Jamaat institution. Recruiting people for election duty from such an obscure and unregistered institution is not normal. This is a conspiracy. We demand that they be removed and neutral individuals be appointed instead.”

When contacted, Tahirpur Upazila Jamaat-e-Islami Amir Rukon Uddin said, “The administration has recruited personnel to conduct the election. We have nothing to do with it. We want the election to be fair.”

A teacher of a government primary school in Tahirpur said, “Teachers of that kindergarten were not appointed under government rules and many of them are not graduates. Appointing assistant presiding officers from such an unregistered institution is strange.”

Assistant Returning Officer Manik said, “The list of assistant presiding officers was prepared by the Upazila election office a long time ago. The complaint will be examined and necessary steps will be taken.”