HC asks AL MP to surrender by June 20

Chittagong-16 constituency ruling Awami League lawmaker Mustafizur Rahman Chowdhury

Rejecting the bail petition of ruling Awami League lawmaker Mustafizur Rahman Chowdhury, the High Court yesterday ordered him to surrender before the lower court concerned by June 20 in a case filed for assaulting an upazila election officer.

The HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Amir Hossain passed the order after hearing Mustafizur's plea that sought his anticipatory bail in the case.

The Chittagong-16 constituency lawmaker appeared before the bench during the hearing.

The HC turned down the petition of Mustafizur, considering the gravity of the allegation brought against him in the case, Deputy Attorney General Shaikh AKM Moniruzzaman Kabir told The Daily Star.

He also said if Mustafizur did not surrender before the lower court by June 20, law enforcers could arrest him.

On June 1, Mustafizur allegedly "beat" and "verbally" abused Banshkhali Upazila Election Officer Zahidul Islam at the office of Upazila Nirbahi Officer, who was not present during the incident, for not appointing the MP's men as polling officials in the upazila parishad polls there.

Following the incident, the victim lodged a complaint with the Election Commission. A day later, the EC sent a letter to the officer-in-charge of Banshkhali Police Station, asking him to file a case against the lawmaker and his aides.  

On June 3, a case was filed against Mustafizur and his two aides for allegedly assaulting the upazila election officer. The victim, Zahidul, has been shown as the complainant of the case.