EC assumes candidate at Brahmanbaria by-poll goes into hiding

The election commissioner Anisur Rahman assumed that the independent candidate at Brahmanbaria-2 constituency, Abu Asif Ahmed, had gone into hiding premeditatedly.

The election commission (EC) has reached the conclusion premising on the information they have received as of today. Anisur came up with this disclosure on Tuesday afternoon at Nirbachan Bhaban in Dhaka, adding that no law enforcement agency has done this.

Abu Asif Ahmed is the only contestant of Abdus Sattar to the Brahmanbaria-2 (Sarail and Ashuganj) by-poll. He is among seven BNP lawmakers who recently resigned from the parliament in line with the party's decision.  

Abu Asif is former president of Ashuganj upazila BNP and a former chairman of upazila parishad. He went missing on Sunday around 11:00pm. The EC asked the deputy commissioner, police superintendent and district election officer to submit a report over the issue.  

The commissioner said they have received a report which read the candidate is missing. As his phone was switched off, the law enforcement agencies could not trace his whereabouts. However, they are trying.

The election commission said they listened to an audio of the candidate that went viral to social media. The candidate also talked to other media. So, it seems that he had planned to do that.     

"Based on the information, we have reached the conclusion. Because, we listened to the audio in which he directed his wife to bring the necessary belongings and turn off the CCTV cameras while coming out. What does it mean? It means that they had a plan. We are assuming this."  

He also said no complaint has yet to be filed to the EC over the missing of the candidate's wife.