Allegations of ‘mob’ creation against Rumeen Farhana

Independent candidate Barrister Rumeen Farhana of Brahmanbaria-2 Sarail-Ashuganj-Bijoynagar two unions constituency has been accused of violating the electoral code of conduct and creating a ‘mob’. The allegations were made in a letter signed by Assistant Returning Officer and Sarail Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Abubakar Sarkar.

The letter was sent last Saturday to the Election Inquiry and Judicial Committee and Senior Civil Judge Ashraful Islam, requesting legal action.

Meanwhile, Rumeen Farhana has urged election-related officials to remember August 5.

Speaking during an exchange meeting at Kalikachha in Sarail upazila on Sunday afternoon, she said, “I hope the administration, police, commission and government will remain neutral. Do not look at anyone with one eye and others with another. You must remember August 5. If neutrality is not maintained, August 5 can happen in any constituency, just as it happened across Bangladesh.”

According to the letter, Rumeen Farhana organised a large gathering by setting up a pandal in Islamabad village of Sarail, which was a violation of the electoral code of conduct. The gathering was immediately dispersed. Executive Magistrate Shaharia Hasan Khan conducted a mobile court and fined a man named Jewel Mia Tk 40,000.

The letter further alleges that Rumeen Farhana behaved aggressively towards the executive magistrate by showing a thumbs-up gesture and repeatedly issuing threats by pointing her finger.

It also claims that Jewel Mia and others accompanying Rumeen Farhana acted violently, creating a mob, obstructing judicial proceedings and threatening the magistrate on duty, which constitutes a clear violation of the electoral code of conduct. A link to a video circulating on social media was mentioned in the letter.

However, Rumeen Farhana denied the allegation of showing a thumbs-up gesture. She told this correspondent, “While referring to an incident where the administration was shown a thumbs-up from a rival candidate’s rally, I demonstrated it by saying ‘like this’. I hope the administration will not take sides.”