Dalia Khatun Rikta, a councillor candidate for reserve seat in Bogra Municipality, conducts electioneering in the area on Monday.
The Election Commission on Monday asked 12 returning officers to explain what action they had taken against a minister, a ruling Awami League whip and four lawmakers and some mayoral candidates who allegedly flouted electoral code of conduct in the elections to 234 municipal councils slated for December 30.
Polls codes were violated during Victory Day celebrations at places on December 16, an EC deputy secretary told New Age.
Those who violated the codes include such big shots as health minister Mohammed Nasim, AL whip and Sherpur-1 lawmaker Atiur Rahman, AL lawmakers Enamul Haque, Abul Kalam Md Ahsanul Haque Chowdhury, M Anwarul Abedin Tuhin and Nizam Uddin Hazari.
The EC on Monday also disposed three allegations against AL lawmakers — Safiqul Islam Shimul from Natore-2, MA Malek for Dhaka-20 and Shawkat Hasnur Rahman for Barguna-2, asking them not to violate electoral code of conduct further after they apologised to the commission.
In their replies, the three lawmakers said the violations of code of conduct were unintentional, commission secretary Sirazul Islam said.
According to the complaints, Mohammed Nasim took part in a series of meetings and rallies in Sirajgonj municipality area marking Victory Day while AL mayoral candidate Syed Abdur Rahman Mukta also spoke.
On the day, whip Atiur Rahman led a procession on Victory Day with contestant Golam Mohammad Kibria next to him while leaders and activists chanted slogans seeking votes for ‘boat’, the allegation said.
Rajshahi-4 lawmaker Enamul Haque sought vote for Taherpur municipality mayoral candidate Abul Kalam Azad, attending a Victory Day meeting, the EC official said.
He said Rangpur-2 lawmaker Ahsanul Haque Chowdhury urged the people to cast their vote for AL mayoral candidate Uttam Kumar Saha after placing wreath at a memorial in the municipal area on Victory Day.
The official said Mymensingh-9 lawmaker Anwarul Abedin Tuhin Rafik Uddin Bhuyan sought vote for AL mayoral candidate Rafik Uddin Bhuyan at a programme at Nandail Government Primary School ground.
Feni-2 lawmaker Nizam Hazari allegedly forced other party candidates not to submit and to withdraw their nomination papers in three municipalities –Feni, Dagonbhuiyan and Parshuram, the EC official said.
The EC also decided to launch investigations against three police officers-in-charge over their alleged involvement in unlawful activates and flouting polls code.
The police officers are officer-in-charges of Jagannathpur police station in Sunamganj, Hatiya police station in Noakhali and Ishwarganj police station in Mymensingh.
Earlier, the EC suspended three police officers-in-charge after its investigation has found their involvement in irregularities.
Source: New Age