'There's no gangster bigger than me in Banaripara'
Complaint lodged over misconduct, inflammatory statements of upazila chairman candidate
Allegations of misconduct have surfaced against chairman candidate Golam Faruk in the upcoming Banaripara upazila elections in Barishal, brought forward by rival candidate Maulad Hossain Sana.
The accusations were formally lodged at the district returning officer's office today, Barishal District Senior Election Officer Wahiduzzaman Munshi told The Business Standard.
According to the complaint, Golam Faruk allegedly made inflammatory statements during a meeting in Saliabakpur union's ward-3 on 9 May, claiming superiority over his opponents in the area.
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"I am the biggest thug here. There's no gangster bigger than me in Banaripara," Faruk said at the meeting.
Maulad Hossain Sana, general secretary of Banaripara Awami League, who made the accusation, expressed concern over the potential impact of such rhetoric on voter turnout and the integrity of the electoral process.
He urged immediate action to address the matter and ensure a fair and transparent election in Banaripara.
Senior Election Officer Wahiduzzaman Munshi said appropriate action would be taken following a thorough investigation.
Responding to the allegations, Golam Faruk denied any wrongdoing and said, "My statements were taken out of context. The comments were part of a broader discourse and were not intended to intimidate voters."
Banaripara upazila parishad election is scheduled to take place on 5 June.
