Major reshuffle in EC: 112 upazila election officers transferred

The Election Commission (EC) has carried out its largest personnel reshuffle since the 13th parliamentary elections, transferring 112 election officers serving at upazila and thana levels across the country.

The move is being seen as preparation for upcoming local government polls.

The transfer orders were issued on Monday through an office directive signed by Mohammad Shahidur Rahman, Assistant Secretary of the EC's Manpower Management Branch. The order, issued in the public interest, takes effect immediately.

According to the directive, the 112 officers currently posted at the EC Secretariat and various upazilas and thanas nationwide have been reassigned to new duty stations. 

The commission has set a strict deadline of March 1 for all transferred officers to be released from their current posts. Any officer failing to hand over responsibilities by the deadline will be considered automatically relieved from their position that afternoon.

EC officials said the large-scale transfer is the biggest such initiative undertaken by the commission following the national elections. 

They said the reshuffle is being viewed as a preparatory step ahead of a series of local government elections, including upazila, municipality and union parishad polls expected in the coming months.

Earlier on Monday, EU Ambassador Michael Miller met with the Chief Election Commissioner at the EC Secretariat, where he pledged the EU's continued support for the commission in conducting the upcoming local government elections.