Rahigat Ali, assistant teacher of Karigaon Government Primary School, is the joint general secretary of Upazila Awami League.
An assistant teacher of Karigaon Government Primary School in Haripur upazila of Thakurgaon has got involved in the politics of the ruling party by violating the government employee (conduct) rules. Besides teaching, he is serving as the joint general secretary of Upazila Awami League. He regularly took part in various programs of the team.
The Participation in Politics and Elections Rules, 1989, states that a Government servant may not be a member of any political party or an affiliate of a political party or be involved in any other way or participate in any political activity in Bangladesh or abroad or provide any assistance. Can’t
Abdur Razzak, headmaster of Karigaon Government Primary School, said his school was nationalized on January 1, 2013. The school now has five teachers. Rahmat Ali has been teaching as an assistant teacher since before nationalization.
Talking to the leaders and workers of the ruling party, it is learned that the Haripur Upazila Awami League committee was formed in 2013 through a conference. Rahmat Ali became the joint general secretary of the committee.
In the second phase, voting will be held in 8 unions of Haripur upazila of Thakurgaon on November 11. With this election in mind, the Upazila Awami League organized an extended meeting last Saturday. Besides the leaders of Upazila Awami League, Rahmat Ali also addressed the meeting held at the party office. On condition of anonymity, some Awami League leaders and activists said that Rahmat Ali had not only addressed the meeting on Saturday. He took part in all the activities of the party.
Karigaon Government Primary School headmaster Abdur Razzak said, ‘Rahmat Ali was involved in Awami League politics for a long time. I heard he is no longer in that position. If the party has any program, then he (Rahmat Ali) takes leave. I can’t say whether he took part in political activities on leave or not.
The question of whether Rahmat Ali came to the school regularly was avoided by the teachers, parents and neighbors of the school. Their fear is that they may be harassed as Rahmat Ali is an influential leader of Upazila Awami League. However, on condition of anonymity, some residents of the area said that his (Rahmat Ali) vocal presence in the Awami League program was noticed even during school hours.
When asked, Rahmat Ali said, ‘I have been working there since the school was private. I got the post of Upazila Awami League before the school was nationalized. I have also resigned from the post thinking about the rules. But it was not approved.
Ziaul Hasan, general secretary of the Upazila Awami League, said if a government employee wants to be involved in Awami League politics at risk, it is his own business.
In this regard, Upazila Primary Education Officer Azizar Rahman said, it is against the rules of government employees. After investigating the matter, action will be taken against the teacher.
