UNO on Jamaat’s political platform, ignoring government regulations!

❐ Local correspondent

Chittagong’s Mirsarai Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Somaiya Akhter has been accused of attending a political party’s reception in clear violation of the Government Servants (Conduct) Rules.

His presence at a Jamaat-e-Islami party program held at the Mirsarai Upazila Auditorium on Sunday morning, May 24, has sparked widespread uproar and criticism in local political and administrative circles.

It is learnt that a reception was organized by the Mirsarai branch of Jamaat-e-Islami in honour of Shamsunnahar, the party’s reserved female MP. A large number of party leaders, activists and supporters were present at the event.

Reserved female MP Shamsunnahar was the chief guest at the event. It has been alleged that Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Somaiya Akhter was not only present at this purely political event, but also took a seat on the stage with the guests and also delivered a speech.

According to the Government Servants (Conduct) Rules, 1979 and the prevailing administrative structure of the country, the servants of the Republic are always servants of the people and they will play a completely impartial role. It is part of the state responsibility for government officials to be present along with local political representatives in any development project of the government or state formal program. But when it is a party event, joy procession or political reception of a particular political party, then there is no legal scope for an OSD or field administration officer to be present there.

Local activists claim that the UNO’s participation in a political party’s party reception is clearly against the service rules. Despite clear state directives for government officials to stay away from political activities, the UNO of Mirsarai has completely ignored them.

Several local residents, who did not wish to be named, expressed their anger and said: “Maintaining the impartiality of the government administration is very important for good governance. Such a presence of the highest official of the field administration at a public party event of a political party has raised big questions in the minds of the public about the impartiality and motives of the administration.”

Meanwhile, the issue has also sparked heated debate and mixed reactions on social media. While some have tried to gloss over the issue as a mere ‘etiquette presence’, the vast majority of citizens see it as a clear violation of government service rules.

Attempts were made to contact the Mirsarai Upazila administration to get a statement on this serious allegation, but no official statement was received. Even attempts were made to contact the accused UNO Somaiya Akhter on his mobile phone, but he did not respond or comment.