A chairman candidate in the Puthia upazila paishad elections in Rajshahi on Thursday accused state minister for rural development and cooperatives Abdul Wadud Dara of intimidating and threatening voters.
GM Hira Bacchu, incumbent chairman and a member of Rajshahi district Awami League, submitted a written complaint to the Election Commission against lawmaker Abdul Wadud and Rajshahi city AL general secretary in this regard.
In his complaint, GM Hira Bachchu alleged that Abdul Wadud had been calling various leaders and workers and voters to his house and office and was asking them to work for his rival candidate and district AL organising secretary Abdus Samad Mollah.
鈥極n May 11, Puthia Upazila AL president Nazrul Islam called a meeting where he mentioned that state minister Abdul Wadud had instructed him to arrange the meeting and declare Abdus Samad as the lawmaker鈥檚 candidate,鈥� he said.
GM Hira Bachchu said that the state minister had been staying at his village home in Puthia upazila since Wednesday night and he was calling the party leaders and workers to his house and was instructing them to vote for Abdus Samad.
鈥業f someone objected, he was threatened and pressured. Not only that, the state minister is influencing the leaders, workers and voters by instructing them to vote for Abdus Samad, which is a violation of election code of conduct,鈥� he alleged.
He also mentioned in the complaint that the state minister was desperate to make an impact in this local government elections.
鈥楿nder his [minister鈥檚] influence and instructions, Rajshahi city AL general secretary Dablu Sarkar is also seeking votes in favour of Abdus Samad in Puthia. If anyone goes against what they ask for, they are threatening people with fear,鈥� he added.
GM Hira Bachchu told 抖阴精品 that the voters were in great fear as the state minister was interfering with the elections by intimidating and threatening the party activists and the voters.
State minister Abdul Wadud, however, was not available for his comment despite repeated attempts over the phone.
Puthia upazila nirbahi officer and assistant returning officer AKM Noor Hossain said that he had received a complaint that he forwarded to additional deputy commissioner and district election returning officer Kalyan Chowdhury for necessary action.