Authorities have sought legal action against Barrister Rumeen Farhana, an independent candidate for the Brahmanbaria-2 constituency (Sarail, Ashuganj, and part of Bijoynagar), over allegations of creating a “mob” and violating the electoral code of conduct.
Assistant Returning Officer and Sarail Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Abu Bakar Sarkar sent a formal letter to the Election Inquiry Committee and Senior Civil Judge Ashraful Islam on Saturday (January 17). The matter became public on Sunday evening.
The Incident in Islamabad Village
According to the letter, the incident occurred during a massive public gathering organized by Rumeen Farhana in Islamabad village. The assembly involved setting up a large pandal (tent), which is a direct violation of election conduct rules. Upon receiving information, an executive magistrate led a mobile court to the scene and disbanded the gathering.
During the drive, Executive Magistrate Shahria Hasan Khan fined an individual named Jewel Mia 40,000 BDT for the violation.
Allegations of Obstruction and Intimidation
The letter further alleges that Rumeen Farhana reacted aggressively to the administrative action. It states that she repeatedly gestured with her thumb in an offensive manner and used threatening language toward the executive magistrate.
Furthermore, the official complaint highlights that Rumeen Farhana, along with Jewel Mia and others, adopted a confrontational stance. The letter accuses her of:
- Creating a “mob” to obstruct judicial duties.
- Threatening a magistrate on duty.
- Clearly violating multiple sections of the electoral code of conduct.
Response from Authorities
Md Abu Bakar Sarkar, the Assistant Returning Officer, confirmed the dispatch of the letter, stating that the matter is now under the jurisdiction of the court and the Election Inquiry Committee for further legal proceedings.
Rumeen Farhana, however, previously claimed that the administration is being biased, alleging that her opponents are frequently violating rules without facing similar scrutiny.
