Election officials withdrawn across districts over advance signatures, voting errors

Several election officials were withdrawn from duty across Bangladesh today (12 February) after allegations of irregularities, including signing result sheets before vote counting, allowing unauthorised access to polling centres and procedural errors that prevented voters from casting ballots.

The incidents, reported from Naogaon, Chattogram, Faridpur, Jhenaidah, Mymensingh, Gazipur and Ashulia, prompted intervention by returning officers and, in some cases, temporary suspension of voting.

In Naogaon's Sadar upazila, presiding officer, Nazim Uddin, was removed from the Katkhoir High School polling centre after he admitted signing and sealing the official result sheet while voting was still under way. Election rules require counting to take place in the presence of polling agents after polls close, and only then can the result sheet be completed.

"To make the process easier and save time, I signed it earlier. However, I was not aware whether this was in line with the rules," he said.

Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mohammad Ibnul Abedin said there was no provision for signing the result sheet before counting. "As the allegation was found to be true, he has been withdrawn from election duty at the centre," he said.

A similar allegation emerged in Niamatpur, where presiding officer Abdul Kader admitted signing in advance at Bamoin High School and College polling centre. "For convenience and to save time, I signed it in advance. However, it was not done in accordance with the rules; I have violated the law," he said.

In Chattogram-14, presiding officer, Faridul Alam, was withdrawn after allegedly collecting advance signatures on a result sheet at North Satkania Ali Ahmed Pranhori High School. 

Voting was briefly suspended before resuming. 

"Upon visiting the centre, we found evidence supporting the complaint. The presiding officer was withdrawn immediately," said Assistant Returning Officer Khandaker Mahmudul Hasan. Alam said he had acted to avoid delays and had "no bad intention".

Elsewhere, two presiding officers were withdrawn in Faridpur over claims they allowed unauthorised persons inside polling stations. In Jhenaidah, a presiding officer was removed after 23 pre-signed result sheets were recovered. The district's returning officer said such conduct would not be tolerated.

In Mymensingh's Bhaluka, an assistant presiding officer and two polling officers were dismissed over allegations of open voting and expelling rival agents. "They were removed for not preventing open voting," said local official Firoz Hossain.

In Gazipur-3, an assistant presiding officer and two polling agents were withdrawn after a voter complained that her ballot had already been cast when she arrived.

In Ashulia, an elderly woman, Jahanara Begum, was unable to vote after her attendance was mistakenly marked against the wrong serial number. The polling officer was withdrawn. Officials said the mistake was accidental and found no evidence of deliberate wrongdoing.