Open lottery for OMS dealers in Kushtia halted amid BNP–Jamaat agitation
According to district administration sources, 218 applications were submitted for OMS dealership positions across Kushtia Municipality’s 21 wards
The open lottery process for appointing Open Market Sale (OMS) dealers in Kushtia was abruptly suspended today (17 July) following chaos instigated by activists affiliated with the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami.
The lottery, intended to ensure transparency in dealer appointments, began at 11:00am in the conference room of the Deputy Commissioner's office. However, soon after commencement, allegations of political bias surfaced, prompting Deputy Commissioner Toufiqul Rahman to call off the session.
According to district administration sources, 218 applications were submitted for OMS dealership positions across Kushtia Municipality's 21 wards. After scrutiny, 101 applications were rejected, and Ward 15 was excluded due to the absence of valid applications. The remaining 116 eligible applicants from 20 wards were shortlisted and notified via phone calls and SMS to attend the open lottery.
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The draw for Ward 1 concluded without incident. However, tensions erupted during the announcement of 6 shortlisted candidates for Ward 2.
Abdul Hakim Masud, convener of the district unit of Swechchhasebak Dal, alleged political partiality: "We will not accept the presence of any Awami League affiliates in this lottery."
Echoing similar concerns, Mostafizur Rahman Palash, former president of the Islami Chhatra Shibir's town unit, claimed, "Most Jamaat-Shibir-backed applicants received no phone calls or SMS notifications," accusing the administration of irregularities in the screening process.
Moksedul Haque Kallol, joint convener of the city unit of Jubo Dal, remarked, "If there were genuine concerns, names should have been mentioned directly. Disrupting a transparent process with baseless objections was not right."
As the situation escalated, activists from BNP and Jamaat began chanting slogans and exited the venue, effectively disrupting the proceedings. In response, Deputy Commissioner Rahman suspended the lottery and left the conference room.
Commenting on the incident, Toufiqul Rahman said, "I organised the open lottery with utmost caution and impartiality. Still, certain groups raised objections. I have reported the matter to the ministry; further action will follow their guidance."
Many applicants expressed disappointment at the interruption. They stated the process had been transparent and that the final shortlist had undergone rigorous vetting by both the administration and intelligence agencies.
