Many candidates in the 12th national parliamentary polls are receiving show-cause notices from the pre-election enquiry committees, while many candidates and their supporters are also facing action from mobile courts for violating the electoral code of conduct.
Like the election inquiry committee, the mobile courts are active in each constituency across the country.
A total of 802 executive magistrates have been working in the field from November 28 to check the violation of the code of conduct and other crimes, and maintain the law and order during the forthcoming general elections slated for January 7.
Many candidates have already faced action by the mobile courts for violating electoral code of conduct during their mass campaign.
A mobile court has fined former Bangladesh cricket captain and Awami League candidate for Narail-2 constituency Mashrafe Bin Mortaza and three others for violating the election code of conduct during the campaign for the parliamentary seat.
Executive Magistrates Rajibul Hasan and Md Anisur Rahman of the special election court for the municipality slapped the penalty on Monday afternoon.
Mashrafe and the other candidates pasted posters onto walls in violation of the rules. Mashrafe was fined Tk 15,000, while Jatiya Party candidate Khandker Faikuzzaman Firoz was fined Tk 15,000, Gono Front candidate Latifur Rahman was fined Tk 3,000 and Islami Oikya Jote candidate Mahbubur Rahman was fined Tk 2,000.
According to the electoral code of conduct, posters should be hung by rope. However, Mashrafe’s posters were glued to the walls and electric poles. That is why Mashrafe was fined, along with three other candidates.
Awami League candidate of Lakshmipur- 2 constituency candidate Nuruddin Chowdhury Noyon was fined Tk 5,000 by a mobile court for occupying the election camp office of an independent candidate Selina Islam. The incident took place in front of Ponchum Patwary’s residence in Ward No 1 (Korea union no 6) of the Raipur upazila on Monday evening.
Executive Magistrate and Raipur Assistant Commissioner (Land) Monira Khatun conducted the mobile court and fined Tk 5,000 to AL candidate Nuruddin Chowdhury Noyon.
Monira Khatun said, “The independent candidate complained to us that the followers of Boat symbol have occupied her rented electoral office. We found the proof during the drive and fined Tk. 5,000.”
A mobile court in Faridpur on Monday fined two supporters of an independent candidate in Faridpur-2 constituency Advocate Jamal Hossain Miah. They were using loudspeakers for campaigning beyond the stipulated time set by the Election Commission in Saltha upazila on Sunday night.
Saltha Assistant Commissioner (Land) and Executive Magistrate Shahadat Hossain said that each of the men was fined Tk 2,000. The campaigners were identified as Akkas Matubbar and Md Badal. According to the sources, the duo carried out electioneering for the candidate through speakers in the Saltha Bazar area at 9:00pm.
Later, the upazila administration conducted a mobile court in the area and punished them for breaching the rules.
As per the electoral code of conduct, candidates and their supporters can carry out election campaigns using loudspeakers from 2pm to 8pm every day.
Meanwhile, the EC filed a case against Awami League candidate Mustafizur Rahman for Chattogram-16 constituency for assaulting journalists and violating the electoral code of conduct.
Banshkhali Election Officer Harun Mollah filed the case with the Metropolitan Magistrate court under section 8 (b) of the Electoral Code of Conduct. The court issued summon against the accused and ordered him to appear before it by January 3.
According to the case statement, two journalists were physically harassed by Mustafizur Rahman and his followers when he was asked about violation of electoral code of conduct during submission of nomination papers at DC office in Chattogram on November 30. The accused also vandalised cameras and other equipment during the attack.
It also said, Mustafizur Rahman accompanied by a huge convoy came to the DC office to submit the nomination papers in the morning violating the electoral code of conduct.
As per the electoral code of conduct, a candidate can’t take more than five supporters to collect and submit nomination papers.
On the other hand, the ‘Election Inquiry Committee’ formed by the EC in 300 constituencies to deal with pre-election irregularities are issuing show-cause notices and sending recommendations to the Election Commission (EC).
The EC has already taken action against many candidates based on the inquiry reports submitted by the election inquiry committees.
The EC on Monday issued a warning on cricket superstar and Awami League candidate for Magura-1 constituency Shakib Al Hasan. A letter signed by EC Deputy Secretary Md Atiar Rahman was sent to him as a warning.
The letter stated that Shakib arrived at Magura from Dhaka on November 29. After a show of support in the Kamarkhali area, he entered Magura city with a convoy of vehicles and attended a reception there.
The incident disrupted public movements, which is a breach of the electoral code of conduct.
Meanwhile, BNM nominated candidate for Khulna- 6 constituency SM Newaz Morshed was also warned by the commission on charges of organizing a motor rally with thousands of motorbikes.