Jhenaidah Correspondent :
Mukter Ahmed Mridha, the Awami League (AL) nominated chairman candidate for Abaipur Union Parishad (UP) under Sailkupa upapzila in Jhenaidah district withdrew his candidature from the election on Friday, accusing of massive terrorism, including vandalizing, setting properties on fire and attacking his men by the rival candidate’s supporters.
He referred also to the inactiveness of Election Commission, police and district administration for being biased towards the opponent.
Mukter Ahmed Mridha, also president of Abailpur union Awami League and member of the district unit, Awami League of Jhenaidah, announced the decision just a day before the sixth and last phase of UP elections in 140 centres scheduled on Saturday. Mukter disclosed the decision in a press briefing at Sailkupa Press Club on Friday noon.
He alleged that the activists of independent chairman candidate Helal Uddin Biswas carried out attacks on his followers for days together,
assaulted them, set fire to their houses and damaged their business establishments.
Sailkupa police officer-in-charge did not respond positively to the allegations he made. His coolness worked for the opponent candidate directly or indirectly, he said.
Mukter also expressed his frustration at Awami League leaders and activists of upazila and district levels and said that they did not support him. Even no one from upazila and district AL was present during the press conference. The Election Commission and the high government officials did not take any step despite his repeated complaints.
The AL candidate said, the leaders of the ruling party in Sailkupa and Jhenaidah might have been managed by the opponent candidate. As a result, some of the AL candidates like him are working without any effective support or assistance for them.
He said, the independent candidate’s men vandalized, looted houses of AL men and set them on fire where the police played mysterious role on broad day light. Rather, the police men arrested innocent AL activist in fake case and sent to prison.
Not only in Abaipur, haphazard situation has been prevailing in Mirjapur, Tribeni, Kancherkole, Dignagar and some other unions. Villager Nayeb Ali sustained bullet and cocktail injuries at Mandaripara village in Mirjapur union on Thursday night. The AL men swooped on the activists of an independent candidate during the campaign. Sub- Inspector of Tribeni Police Outpost Ajoy Kumar confirmed that splinter and empty cartridge were recovered from the spot.
A number of election offices were vandalized and set on fire on Thursday at Kancherkole and Dignagar. The police are not in a position to control the chase and counter-chase between the ruling party candidates and their party rebels.
Meanwhile, the Officer-in-Charge of Sailkupa Police Station Mahibul Islam was withdrawn on Thursday evening from the responsibility of Union Parishad elections immediately before the elections in 14 unions of Sailkupa upazila scheduled for Saturday. It was really an embarrassing for the police administration.
Additional Superintendent of Police of Jhenaidah, Azahar Ali Sheikh, when contacted said, the situation was almost under control as huge law enforcers including the BGB and RAB have been patrolling the area round the clock.
