Gazipur city mayor suspended again

Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) Mayor MA Mannan has been suspended again after a court accepted charges against him in a corruption case.

Local Government Division issued the suspension order for the third time today, eighteen days after he resumed office following a court verdict.

The circular, signed by deputy secretary Md Shahidul Islam, cited that a Gazipur court accepted a charge sheet against him and its accountant officer Golam Kibria on January 18.

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The duo reportedly misappropriated Tk 49.18 lakh by abusing powers, according to the statement of the case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission on June 12 last year.

The anti-graft body submitted the charge sheet to Gazipur Special Judge Court on January 12 this year.

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The authorities also suspended accountant officer Kibira in this regard.

After two and a half years, Mayor Mannan resumed office on June 18 after the Supreme Court on May 31 paved the way for him to discharge his duty.

Mannan, who was elected GCC mayor on July 6, 2013, performed his duty for only some 18 months as he was accused in 30 cases and had been in jail for the rest of the time. He had also been suspended twice.

An adviser to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, Mannan became the mayor beating an Awami League candidate by around one and a half lakh votes. He assumed office on August 18 the same year.

On February 11, 2015, police arrested Mannan for his suspected involvement in an arson attack on a bus in Gazipur on February 4. The next month, panel mayor, local Awami League leader Asadur Rahman Kiron, who was elected an ward councillor, was made acting mayor upon a court directive.

Mannan was released from jail on March 2, 2016. He was rearrested on April 15 the same year and released again on January 7 this year. The LGRD ministry suspended him on April 18 last year after a court accepted a charge sheet in a criminal case filed against him.