2 intending contestants accused of violating election code

Two businessmen, who intend to contest the upcoming parliament election, are violating the election code spending huge amount of money to seek Awami League (AL) nomination from Rajshahi-5 constituency, alleged another nomination seeker.
At a press conference at Rajshahi Metropolitan Press Club yesterday, Abdus Samad, a lawyer, said the businessmen have turned politicians overnight and are using their money to influence the local AL leaders and activists.
Samad announced that he wants AL nomination from Rajshahi-5 constituency covering Bagha and Charghat upazilas.
He said his campaign is being hampered due to huge spending of money by his opponents.
Samad, who was the district AL vice-president and district Krishak League president, named the businessmen as Shahriar Alam and Bazlur Rahman, and said one of them is not even a local resident.
“They distributed sari, lungi and cash money among the people who were carried in trucks to show up their public support,” he alleged.
Samad said he took part in every movement and was the vice-president of Rajshahi College Students' Union in 1969, senate member of Rajshahi University and a general prosecutor of Rajshahi district court.
When contacted, Shahriar Alam, owner of several industries in Dhaka, refuted the allegations.
Bazlur Rahman could not be contacted for his comment.