Jamaat leader ordered illegal voting seals in Lakshmipur; case filed

Police in Lakshmipur say Jamaat‑e‑Islami leader Saurav Hossain Sharif was involved in ordering illegal election seals. A case has been filed against Sharif and businessman Sohel Rana, who has been detained.

The investigating officer, SI Monir Hossain of Sadar Model Police Station, confirmed the matter at noon on Wednesday, 4 February. Earlier, on Tuesday night, 3 February, Humayun Kabir of the same station filed the case against Sharif and Sohel.

Police said the accused Jamaat leader Sharif is secretary of Jamaat’s Ward 4 unit in Lakshmipur municipality and the son of Md Shajahan of the South Banchanagar area. He owns Modern Offset and Digital Sign on Hospital Road. According to the investigation, Sharif ordered the seals for fraudulent voting, and Sohel made them and kept them at his shop.

The case statement, citing detained Sohel Rana, said Sharif placed an order on 30 January for five election seals and sent a related voice message to Sohel on WhatsApp. The statement said the seals were made illegally through deception with the dishonest intention of casting fake votes and influencing the upcoming national election.

SI Monir Hossain said Sohel has been produced in court and no remand has yet been sought. Sharif is absconding and efforts are underway to arrest him. The investigation is continuing to determine whether others were involved.

Police said Sohel is the son of Khorshed Alam of Tumchar village, Ward 1 of Tumchar union in Sadar upazila, and the owner of Mariyam Printers on Old Court Road in the district town. Acting on a tip‑off on Tuesday afternoon, police seized six election seals with 16 boxes, a computer, and a mobile phone from his shop, and then detained him and brought him to the station.