Tangail Correspondent: The Ansar-VDP members who served in the UP elections in Gopalpur upazila have not received their dues for almost a year and a half. There is dissatisfaction among them.
It is known that the upazila’s Nagdashimla, Jhawail, and Hemnagar Union Parishad elections were held in September 2022. 646 armed and unarmed Ansar members performed duty in the election. Ansar Alamin Mia, the gunman of Mandia village, said that Ansar members have to do duty for three consecutive days in the elections. For this, an ansar with weapons should get an allowance of 2 thousand 490 taka, and an unarmed ansar should get 2 thousand 190 taka. But after fulfilling the duties, we have to wait for one and a half years to get the due allowance money.
Gopalpur went to the Ansar and VDP offices last Sunday, and it was seen that some Ansar members were getting tangled in front of the office and expressing their anger. They complained that they were frustrated by visiting the office for dues. Tariqul, an Ansar member, said that the office does not specify when the arrears of Harabhanga Khatuni will be collected for election work. Polling, presiding, returning officer, police, magistrate, and all other public and private employees get their allowance on time, but poor ansars like them are deprived.
In this regard, Gopalpur Upazila Ansar VDP Commander Yakub Ali said that they often come to the office to demand allowance. But it is not possible to pay the arrears due to the Election Commission not allocating them.
Tangail district election officer Matiur Rahman said that the district election office gives allowances to all except the Ansar VDP members. Ansar members receive allowances through Bangladesh Ansar and VDP authorities. So the District Ansar and Village Defense Office can answer it well.
Tangail District Ansar and Village Defense Force Commander Ibrahim Khalil admitted the truth of the incident and said that the list of outstanding allowances has been sent to the Election Commission through the headquarters. It is hoped that the arrears will be paid soon.
