The Election Commission has filed a case against Mostafizur Rahman Chowdhury, the Awami League candidate and sitting lawmaker in Chittagong-16 (Banshkhali).
The upazila election officer of Banskhali, Harun Molla, filed the case in Chittagong Metropolitan Magistrate Jewel Deb's court on Tuesday, Public Prosecutor Sheikh Iftekhar Saimul Chowdhury said.
After the filing of the case, a summons was issued for Mostafizur, with the court instructing his in-person appearance by January 3.
Earlier, the Election Commission on Sunday instructed the Banshkhali upazila election officer to file a case against the MP.
Mostafizur Rahman Chowdhury, nominated by the Awami League for the third consecutive time for Chittagong-16, previously won parliamentary elections in 2014 and 2018.
Accompanied by his followers, Mostafizur submitted his nomination form on November 30 to participate in the January 7 election. The candidate became agitated and pushed a reporter to the ground for asking a question about a violation of the electoral code of conduct.
Mostafizur also threatened Rakib Uddin, a reporter with Independent Television. At the time, the MP’s supporters attacked the group of journalists present and damaged their devices.
A written complaint was lodged with the local election inquiry committee in this regard.
On December 1, the candidate responded to the committee's show-cause notice regarding the violation of the electoral code of conduct and the reported incident of assaulting journalists.
A five-member delegation, including two lawyers representing Mostafizur, appeared before the committee chaired by Chittagong Joint District and Sessions Judge Abu Salem Mohammad Noman.
The delegation, led by Banshkhali Upazila Awami League General Secretary Prof Abdul Gafur, submitted a written response to the notice on behalf of Mostafizur.
