The Election Commission (EC) on Thursday decided to withdraw the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) and the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Jhenaigati upazila in Sherpur following election-related violence that left a local Jamaat-e-Islami leader dead.
"The commission has decided to withdraw the UNO and the OC. The remaining procedural steps will be completed as soon as possible," EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed was quoted by the UNB as saying at a press briefing.
Describing the incident as highly condemnable, he said violence during election campaigns violated the electoral code of conduct.
The deceased, Rezaul Karim, general secretary of Jamaat's Sreebardi upazila unit, was critically injured during a clash between Jamaat and BNP activists at Jhenaigati Bazar on Wednesday evening. He later died on the way to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital.
Govt expresses concern
The interim government has expressed deep concern over the violence, calling the loss of life "entirely unacceptable" and "deeply tragic" just two weeks ahead of the national election.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the government urged all political parties -- including the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami -- to demonstrate responsible leadership and ensure restraint among supporters.
Police said an investigation had been launched and all those responsible would be brought to justice. Security across Sherpur district has been tightened following the incident.
Jamaat accuses police, BNP
Jamaat-e-Islami Assistant Secretary General Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair accused the police of playing an "inactive spectators' role" during the clashes and directly blamed the BNP for the violence.
Speaking on behalf of the 11-party alliance at a press conference at Jamaat's central office in the capital on Thursday, he demanded the swift arrest and punishment of those responsible.
"The entire sequence of events clearly reflected the failure of law enforcement agencies and the administration," he said.
Zubair alleged that clashes erupted after a dispute over seating arrangements during a manifesto announcement programme for the Sherpur-3 constituency at Jhenaigati Stadium.
According to him, BNP activists engaged in provocative behaviour and later attacked Jamaat supporters with locally made weapons.
BNP calls for impartial probe
According to bdnews24.com: The BNP, meanwhile, demanded a proper investigation into the death of the Jamaat leader.
BNP election management committee spokesman and adviser to the party chairman Mahdi Amin said several videos circulating on social media suggested that law enforcement agencies, the Army and BNP leaders had urged the Jamaat candidate to avoid confrontation.
"Why did Jamaat leaders and activists occupy all the chairs ahead of time? Why were sticks and weapons gathered there beforehand? Ignoring repeated requests, why did the candidate choose a path of confrontation?" he asked.
Mahdi made the remarks at a press briefing at the BNP's election management office in Gulshan on Thursday, stressing that all aspects of the incident should be investigated impartially.
talhabinhabib@yahoo.com, mirmostafiz@yahoo.com
