NGOs accused of plundering millions of taka

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SAVAR, Aug 25 (UNB): Election Commissioner (EC) M Sakhawat Hussain Saturday accused NGOs involved with the election working group (EWG) of plundering millions of taka in the name of mobilising voters and monitoring elections.
"They (NGOs) enter polling centres in groups during elections and speak various wise words, but they're hardly seen when you need them most," Sakhawat told a view-exchange meeting held at the municipality auditorium here.
The meeting was organised marking the operation of 'Nabajatra' on preparing voter list and national identity (NID) card with photographs in the district. The project, launched on August 23 in the municipality area, will continue around 25 days.
EC M Sohul Hussain, commander of Savar army camp Lt Col Mahbub, district election officer Anwar Hossain, municipality chairman Refat Ullah, ward commissioners and civil society members, among others, attended the meeting.
Drawing attention of the election commissioners, upazila election officer Pranab Kumar said huge money is being spent from the municipality funds on the ongoing voter list project and a decision is needed to give it a legal coverage.
Sakhawat expressed his dissatisfaction over the matter and said, "The 35 NGOs of the EWG are plundering millions of taka in the name of voters and talk tall always."
"The decision to prepare voter list with photographs and national identity card as taken so that people could choose their honest representatives… This is a well-thought out decision… The matter was discussed with the country's media and civil society organisations," Sohul Hussain told the meeting.