Mismanagement in smart card distribution in Bauphal, 50 fall sick
Desk Report: At least 50 women and men became sick waiting for hours in long queues due to mismanagement as they come to receive smart cards at the Bauphal Model Secondary School in Patuakhali district on this weekend, reports Daily Observer.
Among them, Rabeya begam, 18, and Ferdousi Begum, 27, have been admitted to Bauphal Hospital. In addition, thousands of people have been victims of suffering.
Upazila Election Office announced distribution of smart cards on Friday and Saturday among the voters who failed to collect smart cards when it was distributed at respective unions earlier in July and August.
The Bauphal residents living in Dhaka, Chittagong and other places of the country who failed to receive smart cards in time thronged the school venue. Smart cards were distributed among the voters of 8 unions and Bauphal municipality on Friday and among the voters of the remaining seven unions on Saturday. On the two days, about 10 thousand people gathered on the Bauphal Model Secondary School ground.
Many voters, after waiting from morning till midnight, got saddened without getting smart cards. At least 50 men and women fell sick being exhausted for long wait, and starved due to lack of adequate food in nearby restaurants.
Voters complained that there were no separate booths for unions. Tokens were given from just one booth. Besides, there was not enough laptop, finger print machines and iris scanners.
Abul Kalam, 50, a resident of Daspara village who came from Chittagong for this purpose, said he waited from 7am morning on Friday till 12pm midnight and had to return home. The next day, on Saturday, he stood in queue at 7am again and got the smart card at 12 noon. Hundreds of voters allegedly endured same sufferings.
After receiving the desired smart card, many voters found either their names spelled wrong, or the father’s name wrong. Voters’ age also was not properly mentioned in many cards.
A section of employees allegedly took one hundred taka from many people in exchange for giving smart card. Many voters left for home without having smart card due to extreme disturbance. Besides, many voters did not come to receive smart cards on the days.
Bauphal election officer Selim Reza did not respond to the reporter despite several calls. Bauphal Upazila Nirbahi Officer Pijus Chandra Day was on leave. So, their comments on the issue could not be received.
Meanwhile, Nupur Begum, 35, wife of Abdur Rob Mridha of Atashkhali village of Adabaria union, who came to Bauphal Model Secondary School from home to take smart card on Friday morning with his son, Omar Faruq, 3, did not return home until Saturday, his relatives said.