Nilphamari Correspondent

Panel UP chairman complained to Nilphamari Deputy Commissioner not to give responsibility to Awami League (AL) supported chairman.

A new controversy has arisen over the responsibilities of the chairman of Dauabari Union Parishad in Jaldhaka Upazila of Nilphamari. After being arrested and imprisoned in multiple cases, Saiful Islam Mukul, the elected chairman with the boat symbol of the Awami League, has applied to the upazila administration to regain the responsibility of the chairman by obtaining bail from the High Court. However, the current panel chairman Abu Musa Lalkha has raised a new objection to the application.

He claimed that the necessary documents of all the cases were not attached with the application submitted by the chairman. He submitted a written complaint to the Deputy Commissioner of Nilphamari on Thursday (August 6).

In the complaint, Abu Musa Lalkha mentioned that he is the elected member and panel chairman of Ward No. 2 of Dauabari Union Parishad. As per the Local Government (Union Parishad) Act, 2009 and the instructions of the Local Government Department, he was given the administrative and financial powers of the Union Parishad from July 15, 2026.

Since then, he has been regularly managing the activities of the Union Parishad. According to local sources, Saiful Islam Mukul was absent from the union for a long time after being accused in cases GR No. 265/2024 filed on October 14, 2024, GR No. 320/2024 dated November 3, 2024 and GR No. 123/2025 filed on June 21, 2025. When there was a fear that the normal functioning of the union council would be disrupted, the financial and administrative powers of the union council were delegated to Panel Chairman-1 Abu Musa Lalkha with the approval of the Deputy Commissioner as per Sections 33, 101 and 102 of the Local Government (Union Council) Act, 2009 and the circular issued by the LGED . Later, Saiful Islam Mukul temporarily returned to duty on the order of the court, but on June 21, 2026, Jaldhaka Police arrested him again. After that, he was sent to Nilphamari District Jail through the court.

Later, on July 15, 2026, Abu Musa Lalkha was again granted the validity to perform his duties as the panel chairman by a written order of the Upazila Executive Officer and the Deputy Commissioner. After receiving bail from the High Court in three cases, Saiful Islam Mukul applied to the Upazila Executive Officer to regain the responsibility of the chairman.

However, Abu Musa Lalkha alleged that although copies of the bail in cases GR No. 265/2024 and GR No. 123/2025 were attached to the application, a copy of the bail in case GR No. 320/2024 was not attached. In addition, he mentioned in the charge sheet that a murder case is still pending against the chairman and legal complications or arrest situations may arise at any time. If he is reinstated in such a situation, there is a risk that the activities of the union council will be disrupted again. In this regard, Abu Musa Lalkha told the media that the chairman has been granted bail in all three cases.

Therefore, I have submitted a written complaint to the District Administrator to verify all the case documents, court orders and legal positions and take a decision according to the rules. On the other hand, despite multiple attempts to contact Saiful Islam Mukul to know his statement on this matter, no statement was received.

The locals are now waiting for the decision of the upazila and district administration in this ongoing debate over the responsibility of the chairman of the Dauabari Union Parishad.