The rejoinder signed by Hafizuddin claimed that during the 2001 national election armed supporters of his contestant Awami League candidate Tofail Ahmed had captured the polling centre at Dr Azhar Uddin Primary School and got engaged in vote rigging.

He said he went to the centre at around 3:00pm on the day and complained about the irregularities to the presiding officer concerned following which the officer stopped the voting.

"Shortly afterwards, the presiding officer left the polling centre with all the election officials and submitted a written statement to the upazila nirbahi officer, who was then working as assistant returning officer, about the criminals' illegal activities at the polling centre."

"As the criminals came to the centre again and tried to snatch the ballot boxes and also the rifles of policemen, a policeman opened fire in defence and Khorshed, one of the criminals, was killed."

Hafizuddin also claimed that when the police opened fire he was sitting at the UNO office and filing a written complaint about the irregularities at that centre, which is two kilometres away.

Two cases were filed in this connection and investigation proved that bullets shot by police killed Korshed, he added.

Manik, who recently submitted an application implicating him in the incident, did this being instigated by the AL leaders, the rejoinder said.

Lalmohon Police Station is now examining the matter and no case has been filed yet, it said, adding that there is no legal basis for filing a case concerning the application.

OUR REPLY
The news item for which Major (retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed sent the rejoinder was not reported by The Daily Star. It ran the news as received from news agency UNB. And therefore, The Daily Star by no means could be made responsible for the report.