Palak asks brother-in-law Rubel to withdraw candidature

State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology has asked his brother-in-law Lutful Habib Rubel to withdraw his candidature from the upazila parishad elections over assault of a chairman candidate.

Besides, Singra Upazila Awami League show-caused Rubel on charge of breaking the party discipline on Friday (April 19), four days after the abduction and torture of an Upazila council chairman candidate allegedly by the state minister’s brother-in-law in Natore’s Singra.

The show-cause notice states that different mass media published reports on barring Delwar Hossain Pasha, a chairman candidate in the ensuing upazila election, in submitting his nomination paper, assaulting him and abducting him from in front of the district election office on April 15 last. "Your involvement was learnt from the confessional statement made by arrested accused Sumon under Section 164 which was contrary to the party discipline. In such a situation, you have been asked to explain in written within the next three days why disciplinary steps will not be taken against you."

Regarding the matter, Singra Upazila Awami League general secretary Jannatul Ferdous said, "While returning after visiting the injured chairman candidate Delwar Hossain at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital today (Friday), the state minister phoned Lutful Habib Rubel to withdraw his candidature. At that time, Singra Upazila Awami League president Ohidur Rahman and other leaders were present. Besides, a showcause notice along with the directives from the state minister was sent to Lutful Habib Rubel on Friday afternoon."

She said a written notice would be serve on Rubel asking him to withdraw his candidature after an extended meeting of the Singra Upazila Awami League on Saturday. Organisational steps would be taken against him if he tries to take part in election violating the party directives. If necessary, he would be expelled from the party.

On Friday, Palak visited the candidate, Delwar Hossain, at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.

He inquired the doctors about Delwar's condition and requested the hospital authorities to give him the best treatment.

Speaking to the journalists later, he said, “I was abroad and returned to the country at 1am. I never thought such an incident could happen in Natore.”

"The prime minister [Sheikh Hasina] is also keeping updates on the incident. Those involved in the incident will be brought to book, none of them will be exempted.”

A group of people picked up Delwar by a microbus from outside the District Election Officer's office in Natore on Monday afternoon. They left the chairman candidate in front of his house several hours later.

Delwar’s family blamed Lutful Habib Rubel for the incident. Rubel is also contesting for the chairman’s post in Singra Upazila Parishad polls.

Police arrested two people in connection with the incident.

Rubel is the joint general secretary of Awami League’s Singra Upazila unit. He served as Sherkole Union Council chairman and recently joined the Upazila polls race. He denied allegations of Delwar’s abduction and beating.