Noman Mosharef :
The Election Commission’s (EC) field level officers known as Thana/Upazila Nirbachan Officer are demanding sixth grade and vehicles facilities for movement.
Their present position is now belonging to ninth grade (Assistant Secretary) and demanding position sixth grade is equivalent to Senior Assistant Secretary.
They are getting preparation to submit a resolution to the EC on the issue, EC sources said.
These field level officers said, during election time they have to work with Thana/Upazila level’s Senior Assistant Secretary or equivalent position officers. Sometimes post-position different has makes complication on the work. So, their demand is to promote them as Senior Assistant Secretary.
Besides, there logic for demanding vehicle is election time risk-factors, distribution and transport of Electronic Voting Machine (EVM), and to facilitate the information collection for National Identity Card (NID cards).
Sheikh Mohammad Adil, a Thana/Upazila Nirbachan Officer of Narsingdi’s Belabo Upazila said, vehicle and Senior Assistant Secretary (Sixth grade) are our logical demands. He also said that their demands are time befitting. Chapainawabganj’s Shibganj Upazila Nirbachan Officer Tahsin Rahman said, the work area of a Thana/ Upazila Nirbachan Officer has been extended compare with previous. Without a vehicle it is too hard to perform polls duty and collect NID cards information. If our demand fulfil, we will be happy and we will make happy of the service receivers.
He said, new appointed officers are leaving this job. Sixty five Thana/ Upazila Nirbachan officers had recruited from 37 BCS whereas 25 had left and joined another job. It happened because of due time promotion.
Tahsin Rahman said, definitely it is a good job. But only for due time promotion complication the young and energetic officers leave this job.
Nazrul Islam, Thana/ Upazila Nirbachan Officer and equivalent post Welfare Trust’s Member Secretary and also Uttara Thana Nirbachan Officer said, an organogram had made by initiative of former EC Secretary Helaluddin Ahmed where the post of Thana/Upazila Nirbachan Officer has been suggested for sixth grade. A committee for Recruitment, Promotion, Administrative Reform and Skill Development led by EC Commissioner Mahbub Talukder approved it. But it did not come to the light.
Replying to the question, Nazrul Islam said, the then EC Secretary Helaluddin has signed the organogram on October 2, 2017. Then it shifted to Mahbub Talukder Committee on November 8, 2017. After that, on January 14, 2018 an EC meeting accepted the organogram after some corrections.
He said, during election we have to distribute responsibility to the senior officers which makes embarrassing situations.
EC Secretary Humayun Kabir Khandaker said, they are demanding for sixth grade making arguments that it will be helpful and accelerate their duties.
EC Secretary said, now country is facing a pandemic situation. When everything will become normal we will discuss the issue in EC meeting.
