District Council Polls: MPs asked to explain polls code violations

Two ruling party lawmakers of Pabna were served show-cause notices yesterday for violating electoral code of conduct in the upcoming district council elections slated for December 28.

The returning officer of Pabna issued the notices upon Golam Faruk Khandaker Prince of Pabna-5 constituency and Mokbul Hossain of Pabna-3 for campaigning for an Awami League-supported chairman candidate.

As per the electoral code of conduct, the Speaker, MPs, ministers, city corporation mayors and other VIPs enjoying government facilities are not allowed to campaign or take part in other election activities.

The notices were issued following allegations filed by party rival candidates with the office of the returning officer in Pabna.

Talking to The Daily Star, Returning Officer Rekha Rani Balo, deputy commissioner of Pabna, said, “We issued notices against the Pabna-5 and Pabna-3 lawmakers today [yesterday] for their involvement in election campaign.

“We've asked the lawmakers to explain their participation in election campaign with the candidate,” the DC said.

Samsul Haque Tuku, lawmaker of Pabna-2 constituency, also asked for votes for the AL-backed candidate, but no complaint was lodged with the returning officer's office in this regard.

Rejaur Rahim Lal, senior vice-president of Pabna AL, is the party-supported district council chairman aspirant. His rivals are Mahjebin Shirin Pia, Saidul Haque Chunnu and Kamil Hossain, all ruling party leaders.

Mahjebin is the daughter of Land Minister Shamsur Rahman Sherif Dilu.

Kamil and Mahajebin filed the complaints against the lawmakers a few of days ago.

For the last few days, Golam Faruk, also general secretary of Pabna district AL, held several meetings with the chairman candidate in different upazilas. He campaigned in Chatmohar, Sujanagar and Bera upazilas, said the complainants.

On Saturday, he attended a meeting with Tuku at Bera Municipality Auditorium and asked people to vote for Rejaur.

On Thursday, Faruk along with Mokbul attended another meeting at Chatmohar Upazila Parishad Auditorium. On Wednesday, he joined the election campaign at Satbaria union parishad office.

Rejaur was present in those meetings.

The Daily Star has obtained photographs of the programmes.

Contacted, Faruk claimed, “As the secretary of the district unit Awami League, I attended the organisational meetings of different upazilas in the last few days. But those were not election campaigns.”

About Rejaur's participation in the meetings, he said, “Rejaur attended the meetings as he is the senior vice-president of Pabna Awami League.”