He is a government employee and candidate and polling officer!

, Politics

Special Correspondent, Barta24.com, Chattogram | 2023-12-28 08:10:08

He works in a government department. He has become a candidate in the 12th Jatiya Sangsad election by concealing that job. The story does not end here. He is also the polling officer.

This 'all-rounder' person is Mohammad Salauddin who is an independent candidate for the post of Member of Parliament from Chattogram-4 (part of Sitakunda and Chattogram City).

Despite being a government employee, Mohammad Salahuddin has become a candidate for the upcoming election. His name is also in the polling officer appointment list for the same constituency. However, Salahuddin claims that he has resigned from the job.

But people related to Salahuddin's workplace said that he has withdrawn his salary from last November as well. That is, he was still in government service at the time of filing the nomination papers.

Mohammad Salauddin is contesting as an independent candidate from Chattogram-4 seat with rocket symbol. He is working as Sitakunda Upazila Health Assistant. Salahuddin joined Sitakunda Upazila Health Complex as a health assistant in 2011. He has been working there ever since.

The process of appointment of Polling Officers in total 92 centers of Sitakunda Upazila is going on. The training of appointed polling officers will be held next Sunday. A list of health workers has been sent from the Upazila Health Department to the office of the Assistant Returning Officer for appointment of Polling Officers. The list also includes the name of Rocket symbol (independent) candidate Mohammad Salahuddin as a health worker. However, after learning about the matter, the upazila Health Department wrote to the office of the Returning Officer last Sunday to remove his name from the list of polling officers.

In the affidavit submitted to the Election Commission, Salahuddin identified himself as a drug dealer. He hid the issue of government job. The matter was not caught in the scrutiny of the nomination papers. However, his candidature was canceled due to an error in the list of 1 percent voters submitted as an independent candidate. Later he appealed to the Election Commission. Even there the order of cancellation of his candidature is upheld. Later, he was declared valid from the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court. He submitted the copy of the court order to the Returning Officer's office last Friday. The next day, on Saturday, Salahuddin was allotted the rocket symbol.

According to the Government Servant Conduct Rules-1979, no government servant can be a candidate for election.

Sanak-TIB Chattogram president Akhtar Kabir Chowdhury said, "People's Representative Act-1972 and the JS Elections Manual clearly mention that-"No government official-employee can be a candidate for parliamentary election while working. to be exempted from." But his name in the list as polling officer means he is still a government employee. The Election Commission should take swift legal action against this employee. At the same time taking action against all the officials involved in this process from the submission of the nomination form till today.

However, Salahuddin, an independent candidate, said that he had resigned from the service, "I resigned from the police service in 2012. After that, I was relieved from the job of the health department.

However, Salauddin has drawn his salary for November, Sitakunda Upazila Health Officer Dr. Nur Uddin Rashed said, 'He was absent for some time in November. However, the salary has been drawn. How did you collect your salary if you are not at work? Polling Officer Recruitment list was sent two months back. Salahuddin was not a candidate at that time. After that his candidature was cancelled.'

Dr. Nur Uddin also said, "Salauddin was warned on November 23 because he was absent at work." The matter was then reported to the office of the Civil Surgeon. After that, he was warned again in the second round on 18 December. He did not reply. However, his candidature was cancelled. After knowing that he had been allocated the symbol last Saturday, the Civil Surgeon's office was again informed.

Civil surgeon of Chattogram said that electron can be done after three years of retirement. Mohammad Ilyas Chowdhury said, "You can contest after three years of retirement from government service. There is no question of election from government jobs. Mohammad Salahuddin has become a candidate in the election by breaking the government rules. After getting the information in this regard, I warned him. But he did not reply. So I have written to the Returning Officer and the Election Commission to take necessary measures. A letter has also been sent to the Director General of the Health Directorate to take legal action against him.'

Sitakunda Upazila Norbahi Officer and Assistant Returning Officer KM Rafiqul Islam said, 'From the list received from the Health Department, Mohammad Salauddin as a health worker for polling. He will be relieved of duty. The matter has been reported to the Election Commission.'

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