B’baria-2 By-Polls: Missing candidate’s family seeks PM’s help

The family members of Brahmanbaria-2 candidate Abu Asif Ahmed, who has been missing for six days, have sought Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's help in finding him.

Asif's wife Meherunnesa Meherin made the appeal while talking to reporters at their house yesterday afternoon.

Former Ashuganj BNP president, Asif went missing on January 27. He was contesting in the election with the "motorcar" symbol.

In the Brahmanbaria-2 by-polls, he is the main opponent of expelled BNP leader and five-time member of parliament Abdus Sattar Bhuiyan.

Meherin said they could not take part in the election campaign for the last 7-8 days. "If my husband were not missing, we would have won the polls."

Asif's wife went to the poll center but did not cast her vote. "I saw agents of Abdus Sattar Bhuiyan forcing [voters] to vote for him in the presence of the presiding officer."

Meherin said she requested the administration to take action but to no avail. 

Voters do not have any faith in the election commission, she added.

She further said the people of the constituency rejected the election and the main opponent was missing. "They showed their support for Asif."

Meherin e-mailed a complaint to Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal about her husband going missing.

On Tuesday, Election Commissioner Anisur Rahman said they received a probe report from the deputy commissioner, the superintendent of police and the election officer of Brahmanbaria.

"Based on the information available, it seems that the candidate may have gone into hiding."

He said the local administration in its report said that the candidate was "missing" and it was sure that law enforcement agencies had no links with the incident.