Seven election officials were withdrawn from duty in Mymensingh,Naogaon, Faridpur and Jhenaidah on Thursday following allegations of irregularities during voting, report agencies.
In Mymensingh's Bhaluka upazila, an assistant presiding officer and two polling officers were dismissed at Kansherkul High School centre over allegations of allowing open voting and forcing out agents of rival candidates.
Confirming the matter, Bhaluka Upazila Nirbahi Officer and Assistant Returning Officer Firoz Hossain said an assistant presiding officer and two polling officers were removed for "not preventing open voting."
At Birunia Dakhil Madrasa centre in the same upazila, several youth were found sitting inside booths posing as agents without proper identification. Their ID cards carried only the presiding officer's signature, without names or candidate details. Presiding Officer Mujibur Rahman said, "I was feeling unwell and did not notice the matter." He later asked them to write their respective symbols in front of journalists.
In Naogaon, Presiding Officer Nazim Uddin of Katkhoir High School centre in Sadar upazila was withdrawn around 1:30pm for allegedly signing and sealing the result sheet before vote counting and announcement.
"There is no provision to sign the result sheet before counting," said Assistant Returning Officer and Sadar UNO Mohammad Ibnul Abedin. He said Mukatadul Hasan, a senior officer of Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank, took charge around 3pm.
The presiding officer of Salimunnesa Girls' School polling centre under Jhenaidah-4 constituency was removed from election duty on Wednesday night following the seizure of 23 signed result sheets.
The removed officer, Jasmine Ara, was serving as presiding officer at Centre No. 5 of Kaliganj Municipality. Three presiding officers have been withdrawn in Faridpur and Jhenaidah districts over allegations of irregularities while a presiding officer was physically assaulted at a polling centre in Sylhet.
In Faridpur, two presiding officers were withdrawn from separate constituencies over allegations of allowing unauthorised persons to enter polling centres.
