207 UNOs, 326 OCs to be transferred in 1st phase

Authorities have made primary lists of upazila nirbahi officers and officers-in-charge of police stations to transfer in the first phase of the Election Commission's move to reposition all UNOs and OCs ahead of the January 7 national election.

The lists made by officials in the districts contain the names of 207 UNOs and 326 OCs, said sources in the public administration ministry and police headquarters.

In a surprise move, the EC on November 30 asked two senior secretaries of the public administration ministry and home ministry to transfer all 495 UNOs and 636 OCs across the country in phases to ensure a free and fair national election.

In the first phase, UNOs working at a upazila for over a year will be transferred to other districts and OCs working at a station for over six months will be moved to a police station in another constituency, the EC said.

Of the 207 UNO's named in the list, 49 are in Dhaka division, 15 in Mymensingh, 12 in Barishal, 21 in Sylhet, 17 in Rangpur, 27 in Rajshahi, 48 in Chattogram, and 18 are in Khulna divisions.

Officials will work on the list a little more before sending it to the EC, sources said.

Officials of the public administration ministry said the UNOs will be transferred to upazilas close to where they were working. Transferring all UNOs before the election is a huge challenge, they added.

Anwar Hossain, deputy inspector general at the Police Headquarters, said officials are still working on the list, and so far, they found 326 OCs who served over six months at their stations.

Of the OCs, 33 are in Dhaka Metropolitan Police, 60 in Dhaka range, 20 in Sylhet range, 28 in Rangpur range, 21 in Barishal range, 38 in Khulna range, three in Rangpur Metropolitan Police, 23 in Mymensingh range, four in Khulna Metropolitan Police, and five in Chattogram Metropolitan Police.

Meanwhile, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal yesterday told reporters that the OCs will be transferred as per the EC's instruction.

"The chief election commissioner thinks that those who have been the OC of a police station for a long time, may be influenced by someone. That is why they asked the OCs to be transferred."