In a significant move to uphold electoral integrity, the administration in Jhenaidah-4 has summarily withdrawn a presiding officer following the discovery of pre-signed, blank result sheets. The incident, which has sparked concerns regarding procedural malpractice, occurred on Wednesday night at the Salimunnessa Pilot Girls’ High School polling station in Kaliganj.
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Breach of Protocol Discovered
The controversy erupted at approximately 8:30 pm when a high-level inspection team—including Executive Magistrate Salim Reza, Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Rizwana Nahid, and Additional Superintendent of Police Mahfuz Hossain—descended upon the centre. Accompanied by members of the police and the army, officials seized 23 blank result sheets that had already been signed by polling agents.
Under standard electoral law, result sheets must only be signed and finalised once the votes have been cast and counted. Obtaining signatures in advance on empty forms is considered a grave breach of protocol, as it creates an opening for the manipulation of final tallies.
Administrative Action Taken
The District Returning Officer, Md. Abdullah Masud, confirmed that the presiding officer, Jasmine Ara—who serves professionally as an assistant engineer in the Department of Public Health Engineering—was immediately relieved of her duties.
| Incident Detail | Data Summary |
| Location | Salimunnessa Pilot Girls’ High School, Jhenaidah-4 |
| Official Withdrawn | Jasmine Ara (Presiding Officer) |
| Items Seized | 23 Blank Result Sheets with advance signatures |
| Authority Involved | District Returning Officer & Executive Magistrate |
| Status of Station | New Presiding Officer appointed; new sheets issued |
Conflicting Justifications
Executive Magistrate Salim Reza informed the press that the irregularity came to light when an individual attempted to submit credentials for a polling agent representing Abu Taleb, the Jamaat-e-Islami candidate. The Presiding Officer reportedly admitted to the error, claiming she was merely trying to “expedite the process” by securing signatures early.
However, the accounts regarding which parties were involved remain slightly clouded. While the initial complaint stemmed from a Jamaat-e-Islami representative, Jasmine Ara contended that the signatures already obtained belonged to agents representing the Scale (Jamaat-e-Islami) and Sheaf of Paddy (BNP) symbols.
Commitment to Neutrality
Despite the admission of “procedural error,” the administration has taken a zero-tolerance approach to protect the sanctity of the 13th National Parliamentary Election. Md. Abdullah Masud reiterated that a replacement official has already assumed control of the station and fresh, unsigned result sheets have been provided. “We are steadfast in our commitment to organising a neutral, fair, and transparent election,” he stated.