Caught Distributing Money at Polling Station, BNP Candidate’s Agent Fined

In a decisive move to uphold electoral integrity, a judicial court in Faridpur has imposed a fine on a polling agent of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) for distributing money to voters inside a polling station. The agent, identified as Tanzir Islam, son of Hafizur Islam from Dewra village, was ordered to pay a BDT 10,000 fine. Failure to pay the fine carries an additional one-month imprisonment sentence.

The verdict was pronounced at 12:30 pm on Thursday by Md. Salauddin, Senior Civil Judge and Chairman of the Electoral Investigation and Judicial Committee-213. The incident occurred at the Bismillah Shah Dargah Fazil Madrasa polling centre in the Faridpur-3 constituency.

According to court sources, the presiding officer of the centre, Masuduzzaman, lodged a complaint after receiving reports that Tanzir Islam, acting in his capacity as a BNP polling agent, was distributing cash to voters to influence them to cast their votes for the BNP’s “Dhansheesh” (Rice Sheaf) symbol. The complaint was initially raised by the Jamaat-e-Islami polling agent present at the centre. Upon receiving the complaint, election authorities quickly intervened and detained the accused.

The charges were filed under Section 13(c) of the 2025 Electoral Law, which prohibits bribery or any attempt to induce voters by offering money or gifts. As the accused admitted guilt, the court invoked Section 91(B)(2) of the 1972 Electoral Law, prescribing a BDT 10,000 fine or one month’s imprisonment in default.

Confirming the action, presiding officer Masuduzzaman stated, “The polling agent was handing out cash to voters to influence their choice for the BNP symbol. Once the Jamaat polling agent reported the incident, authorities promptly arrived and took necessary measures to prevent further misconduct.”

This case highlights the vigilance of election officials in enforcing electoral laws and curbing malpractice during the voting process. The swift intervention underscores the importance of maintaining a free and fair electoral environment, ensuring that voters are not swayed by financial incentives.

For clarity, the details of the case are summarised below:

The ruling serves as a reminder to all political agents that electoral violations will face prompt judicial action. Observers note that such enforcement is crucial to preserving public confidence in the democratic process.