Adel, Shaeed trade allegations over hockey election

Bangladesh Hockey Federation's vice-president Sajed A Adel and general secretary Mominul Haque Shaeed on Sunday brought allegations against each other over placement of objection on draft voters' list ahead of the federation election, which is scheduled to be held on June 19.

Adel claimed that he was barred from placing his objection letter at the election commissioner's office by Shaeed and his associates. Shaeed, however, claimed that he was not even present there, adding that this could be a ploy by the vice-president to malign him.

Adel told The Daily Star that  he and Zahirul Islam Mitul had gone to the election commissioner's office at the National Sports Council, but were barred from placing the letters. He had to send the letter through e-mail, Adel said.

"Mominul Haque Shaeed and his people told me at the election commissioner's office, 'you cannot go inside. Sit here.' I told them I have come to place my objection regarding the two names of councilors from my two clubs. They said clubs are ours, who are you?" Adel said, adding that Shaeed had put two other names as councilors for Hockey United Club and Combined Sporting Club even though he is the president of both clubs.

"We ended the first division league only two-and-a-half months ago. One club finished runner-up and the other finished fourth. Shaeed said, you can't place your paper here, you better leave," Adel alleged, adding that Shaeed might have done this from fear that he might contest for the general secretary post against the incumbent one.

When contacted, Shaeed claimed that these are all baseless accusations to malign him.

"I don't know why he's spreading propaganda against me. Whoever haven't placed objection is their concern, I shouldn't be involved in this. His own younger brother, too, has placed objection. So I don't know why he's spreading such false accusations.

"Since I have been embroiled in a scandal, he's taking advantage of that. He could have sent the objection letter though any medium," Shaeed added.

The objection letters will be analysed tomorrow and a final voters' list will be declared the following day.

The chief election commissioner Saidur Rashid did not pick up the phone when contacted for a comment on this issue.