Coronavirus fears: returnees from abroad campaigning for Ctg councillor candidates
A number of relatives of councillor candidates for the upcoming Chattogram City Corporation elections returned from abroad lately and are participating in election campaigns instead of being in home quarantine, the district administration has found.
There are more than 200 councillor candidates in 41 wards covering an area of 60 square miles.
So, the number of their supporters, many of whom live in Middle Eastern countries and arrived lately, can be estimated, said administration officials, wishing not to be named.
Touhidul Islam, executive magistrate (AC land), said, "We are frequently getting reports from the locals that relatives of councillor candidates, who are mostly expatriates, are doing door-to-door campaigning."
He added that drives would be conducted in different wards this evening to put an end to such activities.
The Daily Star has learnt that at least five relatives of Abu Saleh Chowdhury, Awami League nominated candidate for ward-41, arrived from the USA earlier this month in two groups.
They have been campaigning for Abu Saleh Chowdhury for the last two weeks. Among them, Abu's sons -- Didar and Rony -- are going door to door generating fear among voters, locals told this correspondent.
Abu Saleh Chowdhury claimed that Rony came long before coronavirus became a pandemic while rest of his relatives arrived on March 5 and March 15.
"They were thoroughly examined at the Shah Amanat International Airport. They were partially taking part in the campaign as they were not affected," said Abu.
When asked why they were campaigning instead of being in home quarantine, he said he would suspend his campaign after visiting one last household this evening.
Galib Chowdhury, executive magistrate overseeing quarantine situation in ward-41, told The Daily Star that he was aware about the matter and would take action soon.
Chattogram Civil Surgeon Sheikh Fazle Rabbi said, "It is a suicidal decision to make them part of election campaigns. This will ruin all our attempts to contain the spread of coronavirus."
A mobile court in Chattogram has so far fined eight expatriates for not being in home quarantine. At least 97 people in the port city have been asked to stay in home quarantine.
The election to the city corporation is slated for March 29.
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