Ashraful Islam Joy & Sirajul Islam Shishir:
Detective Branch (DB) of police yesterday interrogated the arrested presiding and polling officers, who were arrested for holding secret meeting with a chairman candidate of Upazila Parishad Polls at the Garden Palace Resort of Kadai village under Kalia Haripur Union in Sirajganj Sadar upazila. After the interrogation, they were sent to jail at evening.
On Tuesday afternoon, DB brought the six arrested to the Police Superintendent’s Office for questioning. Earlier on Monday, DB Police arrested the six persons including five Presiding Officers in connection with holding secret meeting at the mentioned resort violating code of conduct of the elections.
Earlier on Monday evening, Shahidul Islam, District Election Officer and also Returning Officer lodged a case with the respective police station in this connection accusing eight Presiding officers and 20 unidentified persons.
Deputy Commissioner Mir Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman said, “The matter is being investigated by police. Necessary action would be taken after receiving the investigation report.”
Mohammad Shahidul Islam, District Election Officer and Acting Returning Officer for Sirajganj Sadar, Belkuchi and Kazipur Upazila

Parishad told The Daily Sky that, “The Election Commission will take necessary steps after receiving the investigation report. After receiving the report, we will forward it to the Election Commission (EC). EC will take appropriate decision based on the report.
Superintendent of Police in Sirajganj Arifur Rahman Mandal told The Daily Sky that, “Police will submit the report as soon as early after completion of the investigation.”
While talking, Sirajganj Sadar Upazila chairman candidate Jubo League convener Rashed Yusuf Jewell said, “On Sunday night, opponent candidate Riaz Uddin held a secret meeting with some presiding and polling officers at Palace Resort in Kadai area. The secret meeting was held illegally there in exchange of big sum money for election engineering. I have filed a complaint with the Election Commission, requesting the commission to cancel Riaz Uddin’s candidature.”
Chairman candidate of Sadar Upazila Riaz Uddin declined the allegation and said, “I have no involvement with the allegation brought against me. Since the beginning of the elections, a group of my opponents has been spreading various propagandas against me with a special purpose.”
Julhas Uddin, Officer in Charge of DB police said, “The matter is being investigated strongly and fairly with the instructions of the Superintendent of Police Arifur Rahman Mandal in which the real facts are come out. But, when the report will be submitted, he could not make confirm. He however said, no one was harassed in this regard.”
Incidentally, the police on Sunday night arrested five presiding and a polling officer on the charge of holding secret meeting with the candidate for the upazila parishad election in Sirajganj. The arrested were identified as Assistant Professor of Jamuna Degree College Sirajul Islam, Principal of SB Rail Colony School and College Ashraful Islam, Lecturer of Police Lines School and College Abu Shayma, Lecturer of Bahuka College Bachchu Kumar Ghosh, Principal Officer of Janata Bank Zonal Office Yasir Arafat and President of District Teachers’ Association and Assistant Teacher of Shialkhol Government Primary School Aminur Islam.
Earlier on Monday night at 10:00pm, Sirajganj Deputy Commissioner Mir Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman in a press briefing revealed information about the secret meeting to the local media workers. Superintendent of Police Arifur Rahman Mandal attended the meeting.
Mohammad Shahidul Islam, District Election Officer and Acting Returning Officer for Sirajganj Sadar, Belkuchi and Kazipur Upazila Parishad informed that, “All kinds of necessary measures have been taken to hold free, fair and transparent elections. Besides, security measures have been tightened with the aim to ensure safety of voters. Large number of police and Ansar-VDP has been deployed to the polling centers. Meanwhiles, all necessary equipments have been sent to the polling centers in which the voting is started in scheduled time.”