Jamaat Operative Detained Following Vote-Buying Allegations in Mirzaganj

An incident involving suspected electoral malpractice has heightened tensions in the Patuakhali-1 constituency. On Wednesday afternoon, local activists from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) apprehended a man identified as Syed Kamal Hossain in the Kismat Rampur area of Mirzaganj Upazila. The individual, reportedly an operative of Jamaat-e-Islami, was accused of attempting to purchase votes on behalf of an independent candidate contesting under the ‘Eagle’ symbol.

The Confrontation at Kismat Rampur

The drama unfolded when members of the Madhabkhali Union Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (the BNP's student wing) intercepted Mr Hossain. According to Md Suman Talukder, General Secretary of the local Chhatra Dal unit, the suspect was found in possession of a significant sum of cash.

"Mr Hossain arrived in the area with at least 50,000 BDT, intending to sway voters in favour of the Eagle symbol," Mr Talukder told reporters. "Upon realising his intent to compromise the integrity of the election, we detained him and alerted the authorities."

Conflicting Accounts and Administrative Resolution

Following the citizen’s arrest, police from the Mirzaganj Thana arrived at the scene to take Mr Hossain into protective custody. During a preliminary search, officers recovered 25,000 BDT from his person—half the amount alleged by the whistleblowers.

In his defence, Syed Kamal Hossain categorically denied the allegations of vote-buying. He maintained that the funds were intended for legitimate electoral logistics, specifically to cover the refreshments and incidental expenses of polling agents assigned to various centres.

Incident Summary: Mirzaganj Alleged Malpractice

Official Stance and Release

Abdus Salam, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Mirzaganj Police Station, clarified that the suspect was not "formally" arrested but rather rescued from a crowd that had surrounded him. An Executive Magistrate was summoned to the site to adjudicate the matter.

Mirzaganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) and Assistant Returning Officer, Moliha Khanam, stated that because the suspect was not caught in the actual act of distributing cash to voters, there was insufficient evidence for criminal prosecution. Consequently, the Magistrate ordered Mr Hossain's release upon the signing of a Muchleka (a formal written undertaking/bond) promising to refrain from suspicious activities.

Despite the release, the incident has left a palpable sense of suspicion among rival political camps, with the BNP leadership in Patuakhali calling for increased surveillance against "shadowy financial transactions" in the final hours before the polls.