District Awami League's organizing secretary and upazila chairman candidate Subed Kumar Saha has accused former health minister and MP for Manikganj-3 constituency Zahid Maleque of breaching the electoral code of conduct by favouring his cousin, disrupting religious harmony, and sowing distrust among minorities.
He made these allegations during a press conference held at the Manikganj Press Club on Tuesday afternoon.
Subed Saha is contesting as the chairman candidate of Manikganj Sadar upazila.
In his statement, Subed Saha highlighted that party chief Sheikh Hasina had directed that neither ministers nor MPs could directly participate in campaigning for any candidate, and no family members could be nominated.
However, Zahid Maleque, the former health minister and current MP for Manikganj-3 Constituency, has been actively campaigning for his cousin, the chairman candidate, and delivering divisive and provocative speeches.
Additionally, Subed claimed that Zahid Maleque has been exerting pressure on various party forums to support his cousin, Israfil Hosne, in the Sadar upazila elections.
On Monday morning, the former health minister held an election meeting with imams, moazzems, madrasa teachers and principals of Sadar upazila at his election office Shubhra Centre in Garpara.
During the meeting, Zahid allegedly made objectionable and communally divisive statements, resulting in the erosion of religious harmony and the creation of mistrust among minorities, according to Subed Saha.
Subed Saha further alleged that Zahid Maleque warned party leaders and activists that failure to support his nominated chairman in Sadar upazila would result in the loss of party positions. Simultaneously, Zahid Maleque has been contacting current and former representatives, urging them to work for his cousin.