Presiding Officer Withdrawn Over Premature Result Signing

A presiding officer at the Katkhair High School polling centre in Naogaon Sadar Upazila was withdrawn from duty on Thursday, 12 February, after being accused of signing and sealing the official result sheets prior to the commencement of vote counting and result announcement. The incident occurred around 12:00 pm.

The officer in question, Nazim Uddin, who also serves as an Assistant Engineer in the Roads and Highways Department, was immediately removed from his duties by the Assistant Returning Officer and Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), Mohammad Ibnul Abedin, at approximately 1:00 pm.

According to election sources and eyewitness reports, during the voting process, Nazim Uddin affixed his signature and official seal, along with his designation, on the result sheets ahead of the authorised counting procedure. Election regulations clearly stipulate that result sheets must only be signed and sealed in the presence of polling agents after the completion of vote counting. Signing in advance is considered a violation of electoral discipline and is seen as potential evidence of premeditated tampering.

Commenting on the matter, Nazim Uddin admitted the action, stating, “Preparing the results after voting takes considerable time. I signed in advance purely for convenience and to save time, but I was not aware that this contravened electoral rules.”

UNO Mohammad Ibnul Abedin emphasised the seriousness of the breach: “There is no provision for signing the result sheets before counting. This is a clear procedural violation. Following verification of the complaint, the officer was immediately withdrawn from duty, and a replacement presiding officer has been appointed at the centre.”

The key facts of the incident are summarised in the table below:

This episode has once again highlighted the critical importance of transparency and strict adherence to procedural rules in the electoral process. Experts note that rigorous oversight at the polling centre level is essential to prevent any form of irregularity and to maintain public confidence in election outcomes.