MP Nixon flouted code of conduct
Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda yesterday said Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury, known as Nixon Chowdhury, lawmaker from Faridpur-4, had violated the electoral code of conduct during the local polls and actions will be taken in this regard as per the election law.
"If necessary, a case will be filed."
While speaking to reporters at the Nirbachan Office, he said, "We have received a complaint [from the cabinet division on taking actions against the violations]. We collected information on this matter immediately and I had a meeting with the election commissioners on the issue. We have decided what to do, which will be revealed in a day or two."
On Monday, a letter was sent to the Election Commission, among other authorities concerned, from the Cabinet Division seeking action against the violation of the electoral code of conduct.
The CEC added, "The activities carried out by the MP during the election were not desirable. He has violated the electoral code of conduct and the provisions of actions will be taken against him as per the law."
On the other hand, Nixon Chowdhury yesterday demanded legal action be taken against the Deputy Commissioner of Faridpur Atul Sarkar for acting in favour of rival candidate of BNP KM Obaidul Bari in the recently held election for the chairman post of Charbhadrasan upazila.
At a Jatiya Press Club conference, he alleged that the Faridpur DC was involved in leaking his telephone conversation with the upazila nirbahi officer of Charbhadrasan, after including abusive languages against an AC (land) through "super editing".
Flanked by local Awami League leaders in the briefing, the independent MP said in the upazila election held on October 10, executive magistrates carried out a rampage, creating obstacles for AL voters so that they couldn't vote for the AL-backed candidate Md Kawsar.
Many AL leaders and activists were also arrested "for silly activities" on the election day, he said.
Nixon said he first called AC (land) after one AL man was arrested on election day for smoking. "He told me that he will look into the matter."
"Later, the AC [land]'s phone was found switched off, so I called the UNO, who said one of my men was detained. I then told the UNO that the AL activist did nothing wrong, he was standing on a field and smoking. But the BGB detained him nonetheless. I told the UNO to take action in this regard. But that is all I said [in the now leaked phone conversation]. The rest [of the words] were not mine," he claimed, adding, "I didn't use any abusive words while talking to the UNO."
He also said the abusive language was "not from his voice" and the conversation was "super edited".
"It was made through super-editing and the DC has instructed his officials to do so," said Nixon.
The Cabinet Division on Monday sought action over violations of the electoral code of conduct for local body polls by Nixon and the newly elected upazila chairman.
It wrote to the Prime Minister's Office, the Parliament Secretariat, the Election Commission Secretariat and other authorities concerned to that end.
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