Vice Chairman candidate goes missing while campaigning in Brahmanbaria

Priti Khandaker Halima, a candidate for the female Vice Chairman position in the Bijoynagar Upazila Parishad election, has gone missing. Her family reported her disappearance after she entered a voter‍‍`s house to campaign and never came out.

Her husband, Masud Khandaker, filed a General Diary (GD) at the Bijoynagar police station on Wednesday at 11:30 AM. He confirmed that there had been no contact with her since 2:00 PM on Tuesday until noon on Wednesday.

Masud Khandaker explained, “The election in Bijoynagar Upazila will be held on June 5. My wife is contesting for the female Vice Chairman position with the Padmaful (Lotus) symbol. On Tuesday afternoon, she went to campaign in Harashpur Union with two associates. She entered a house in the Rishi Para area to ask for votes. Her associates waited outside while she spoke with voters inside. When she did not come out after 10 to 20 minutes, her associates went inside and found she was missing. We waited until the evening and then informed the Assistant Returning Officer and the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO). The Returning Officer advised us to file a GD, which I did this morning.”

Bijoynagar‍‍`s Assistant Returning Officer and UNO, Syed Mahbubul Haque, said, "The candidate‍‍`s husband informed me about the disappearance. I advised him to contact the police."

Bijoynagar Police Station‍‍`s Officer-in-Charge (OC), Asadul Islam, confirmed, "Priti Khandaker‍‍`s husband has filed a General Diary. The police are investigating the matter."