Windows and chairs at the Fulchhari Upazila Nirbahi Officer’s (UNO) office in Gaibandha were vandalised as protesters demanded the cancellation of a list of Family Card data collectors and supervisors.
Leaders and activists of BNP, Jubo Dal, Chhatra Dal and NCP, along with candidates who were not selected, staged a protest procession and carried out the vandalism on the UNO office premises at around 1pm on Tuesday.
The protesters alleged that the list of Family Card data collectors and supervisors had been prepared in collusion with “associates of fascism” and Awami League leaders and activists. They also claimed that the names of several political leaders and activists were included in the list.
Witnesses said the upazila administration published the list of data collectors and supervisors in the morning. As the news spread, dissatisfied candidates, accompanied by leaders and activists of political organisations, brought out a protest procession at around 1pm.
As the procession moved around the upazila complex, windows of an office room on the second floor of the UNO office and several chairs were vandalised. Senior BNP leaders later arrived at the scene and brought the situation under control at around 1:30pm.
Fulchhari Upazila Chhatra Dal Convener Zainal Mia said, “The list was prepared by involving Awami League leaders and activists and including their names. The activists became angry and carried out the incident. We demand the immediate cancellation of this controversial list.”
Fulchhari UNO Mostafizur Rahman said more than 1,000 applications had been submitted for the positions of Family Card data collectors and supervisors. Of them, 73 people were selected entirely on merit in accordance with government guidelines. Those who were not selected were mainly the ones who became angry and carried out the unwanted vandalism, he said.
