Tk 720,000 recovered from Jamaat election office in Shariatpur, polling officer jailed

Joint forces recovered Tk 720,000 from an election office of Jamaat-e-Islami in the South Baishakhpara area of Naria municipality in Shariatpur.

A polling officer found there was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment by a mobile court.

The mobile court was conducted by judge of the election inquiry and judicial committee and judicial magistrate Sujon Mia on Wednesday evening.

Accused polling officer Golam Mostafa is an assistant teacher of Haji Syed Ahmed Government Primary School in Naria. He had been appointed as a polling officer at Panchapalli High School centre in the upazila. Police of Naria police station later sent him to jail.

Eight candidates are contesting in the Shariatpur-2 constituency. Among them are Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Mahmud Hossain and BNP candidate Shafiqur Rahman.

Naria upazila assistant commissioner (land) Lucky Das told Prothom Alo that joint forces went to a house in Naria municipality following information that Jamaat-e-Islami activists were distributing money for election purposes. She also went there after receiving the information. A list related to money distribution, a laptop and a hard disk were recovered from the spot. Tk 720,000 was seized from there.

A government primary school teacher, who was in charge of a polling centre, was found inside the office. As he failed to explain why he was there, action was taken against him under the law. The money and other items were seized. The judge of the election inquiry and judicial committee held a mobile court and handed down the prison sentence.

Local Jamaat and BNP sources said that Jamaat-e-Islami candidate for Shariatpur-2 constituency Mahmud Hossain had rented a house in the South Baishakhpara area of Ward No 1 of Naria municipality and opened an election office there. His campaign activities were being run from that office. Joint forces conducted a drive there on Wednesday afternoon. During the drive, Tk 720,000 was recovered. Several Jamaat activists were present at the time. Assistant teacher Golam Mostafa of Haji Syed Ahmed Government Primary School was detained from the office.

Head teacher of Haji Syed Ahmed Government Primary School Zakaria Masud told Prothom Alo, “I cannot say in detail why and under what circumstances this incident occurred. I came to know about it through the upazila assistant education officer.”

Masud Kabir, head of the media cell of Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Mahmud Hossain in Shariatpur-2 constituency, told Prothom Alo, “There are 136 polling centres in the constituency. Our workers will perform duties at those centres. The money was kept at our office to meet their travel and meal expenses for the morning and afternoon. The local administration carried out the drive with ulterior motives. We had lodged complaints that money was being distributed illegally in favour of the BNP candidate in different unions. Instead of looking into those allegations, this drive was conducted illegally to defame us. BNP supporters also attacked our other leaders and activists there, which is unfortunate. We will inform the Election Commission seeking justice over the incident.”

Following the incident, BNP candidate Shafikur Rahman held a press conference at the BNP office in Naria at night. He said attempts were being made in various places to influence voters with money in favour of Jamaat. He urged the local administration to take stricter steps to prevent such activities. Voters cannot be intimidated or influenced with money.