SC upholds withdrawal of 4 officials from Gaibandha-5 Constituency

Staff Reporter :
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a High Court order that asked the authorities concerned to immediately withdraw Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) in Saghata upazila under Gaibandha district, Md Ishahaque Ali, and three other officials from all electoral duties of Gaibandha-5 Constituency (Saghata-Phulchari).

Justice M Enayetur Rahim, Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division of the SC, passed ‘no order’ to a petition filed by the Election Commission against the HC order.

The High Court on Wednesday ordered to immediately withdraw Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) in Saghata upazila Md Ishahaque Ali, and three other officials from all electoral duties of Gaibandha-5 Constituency.

The Election Commission and the Deputy Commissioner of Gaibandha district were asked to comply with the order.

The three other officials are— upazila’s Agricultural Officer Md Sadekuzzaman, Secondary Education Officer Md Ahsan Habib and Phulchari Upazila Primary Education Officer Md Belal Hossain.

The High Court bench of Justice Md Iqbal Kabir and Justice S M Maniruzzaman passed the order and issued a rule after hearing a writ petition filed by Farjana Rabbi Bubli, an independent candidate of the Constituency.

A by-election took place on October 12 in 2022 in the constituency following the death of former Deputy Speaker Fazle Rabbi Miah. However, the election was stopped due to irregularities in different voting centers on that day.

Later polls were held on January 4 in 2023. Awami League candidate Mahmud Hasan Ripon won that election.

Farjana Bubli on January 1 in 2024 placed prayer to the EC to withdraw these four officials alleging that they were involved in the irregularities that took place on October 12 election.

Finally she filed a writ as the EC unheeded her prayer.

Lawyer Probir Neogi, A B M Altaf Hossain, A B M Siddiqur Rahman Khan appeared in the court hearing on behalf of Farjana Rabbi Bubli.