Six By-Polls Today: Focus on B’baria as candidate still missing

GBNEWS24DESK//

By-elections to six constituencies are being held today, but the Brahmanbaria-2 has become the centre of attention with an independent candidate “missing” for five days.

Though the family of Abu Asif Ahmed, former president of Ashuganj BNP, kept alleging that he was missing, an election commissioner yesterday said after analysing the circumstances, it seemed to them that he went into “hiding”.

There are more twists in the by-polls to Brahmanbaria-2 (Sarail-Ashuganj). The ruling Awami League did not field any candidate there. Instead, the party men are desperate to make Abdus Sattar Bhuiyan, an expelled BNP leader running as an independent, the winner. Even AL Organising Secretary Ahmed Hossain visited the constituency on Monday and took part in Sattar’s campaign.

Sattar resigned from BNP early December last year.

By-elections to Thakurgaon-3, Bogura-4 and 6, Chapainawabganj-2 and 3, and Brahmanbaria-2 are needed as those seats fell vacant following the resignations of six BNP lawmakers.

Allegations are rife in Bogura that AL leaders and activists are intimidating voters and threatening them not to show up at polling centres.

ASIF WENT INTO HIDING: EC

Election Commissioner Anisur Rahman yesterday told reporters at his office that they received a probe report from the deputy commissioner, the superintendent of police and the election officer of Brahmanbaria.

“Based on the information available, it seems that the candidate might have gone into hiding.”

Noting that the audio clip of a conversation of independent Asif has gone viral on social media, Anisur said, “I have heard the audio. From the conversation…. it seems that they had a plan.”

He said the local administration in its report said that the candidate was “missing” and it was sure that law enforcement agencies had no links with the incident.

“The report said the candidate’s whereabouts was established once. But his location could not be traced later as his mobile phone was switched off. However, the law enforcement agencies are still trying,” the commissioner added.

Asif’s wife Meherunnesa Meherin said she e-mailed a complaint to Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal regarding her husband going missing.

“We are being threatened continuously. Police are coming to our house and conducting searches unnecessarily, causing harassment,” she told journalists at her house in Ashuganj yesterday afternoon.

Jatiya Party candidate Abdul Hamid Bhasani, Zaker Party nominee Zahirul Islam Jewel and Asif’s wife have expressed worries about fair by-elections.

“There is no sign that the by-polls will be fair. The ruling party and the local administration have become desperate to make Abdus Sattar the winner,” said Hamid.

Zahirul said the general people are disappointed at the role of the administration officials.