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I got upazila chairman 'elected'

Audio clip discloses Natore MP's role in 2014 election

Partha Pratim Bhattacharjee
A ruling party lawmaker of Natore yesterday said he had to do a lot of things to make his party-backed candidate winner though the contestant had actually lost the 2014 upazila elections.
Shafiqul Islam Shimul, Awami League lawmaker from Natore-2, claimed that he influenced the administration on the election day to get the candidate winner.
"In Natore Sadar upazila election, I made Sharifiil Islam Ramjan winner by 137 votes. Ramjan had lost but I got him elected," he said.
The lawmaker came up with the statements at a meeting with elected representatives of his constituency (Natore Sadar and Naldanga upazila) at Shankar Gobinda Chowdhury Stadium in the district yesterday.
The Daily Star has got an audio clip of his speech in which he disclosed what he did during the upazila elections, held on February 17, 2014, to ensure the victory of the party-blessed chairmen and vice chairmen candidates.
The Natore Sadar upazila elections saw Ramjan defeat BNP-backed candidate.
"Whoever I make elected betray me. There are many who are trying to create divisions within the party. A conspiracy is being hatched against the party," Shimul also said.
Contacted, Ramjan denounced Shimul's statement and said he was elected chairman in free and fair elections.
"I won the elections not by 137 votes but by 370. MP Shimul made false comments. He did this just out of political vengeance and to tarnish my clean image,” he said, adding that Shimul opposed him in the 2014 elections.
Ramjan, joint secretary of district AL, said for the upcoming district council elections, Shimul picked candidates of his choice and violated the electoral code of conduct by seeking vote for them.
In the 17:30-minute audio clip, the lawmaker urged the representatives to vote in favour of party-backed member and reserved post candidates in the district council elections slated for December 28.
As per the electoral code of conduct, the Speaker, opposition leader in parliament, ministers, MPs, city corporation mayors and other VIPs enjoying government facilities are not allowed to campaign or take part in other election activities.
At one stage of his speech, Shimul said that to get the party blessings in union and upazila elections, candidates have to pay a huge amount of money.
"Many will offer you money for casting votes for them. I am asking you to take the money but tell them that there is no scope to go against party decision. If the rebels win, the party will be affected," he added.
After the meeting yesterday, Shimul entertained all with food.
The chairman and six other members have been elected to Natore Zila Parishad unopposed.
Three others also got elected to reserved seats. The December 28 polls in Natore will be held for the remaining nine general member positions and two reserved posts.
This was not the first violation of the electoral rules by Shimul.
Last Tuesday, he held a meeting with representatives of the local government and party men and asked them to ensure victory of AL-backed candidates.
On December 1, he accompanied party-blessed district council chairman and member candidates when they submitted nomination papers.
The lawmaker breached the election rules in December 3 last year by accompanying AL's mayoral hopeful Uma Chowdhury when she went to file her polls documents for Natore Sadar municipality elections.
The Election Commission then served a show-cause notice upon him. In response, Shimul apologised to the EC and pledged not to do it again.
In Putia of Rajshahi, MP Abdul Wadud Dara at a meeting begged votes from elected representatives for AL-backed Rajshahi district council chairman aspirant Mahbub Jaman Bhulu.
Dara, lawmaker from Rajshahi-5, organised the meeting at a local community centre where over a hundred elected representatives of Putia, including municipality mayors, councillors, union parishad chairmen and members, were present.
Chairman aspirant Bhulu and Rajshahi city unit AL president Khairuzzaman Liton also attended the gathering.