Cumilla AL candidate Bahar slapped with 3rd show-cause for assaulting Ekattor TV journos
On 20 December, an assault was reported on the journalists and cameraperson of Ekattor TV during the preparation for a live broadcast in Cumilla
AKM Bahauddin Bahar, the Awami League (AL) candidate and current MP of the Cumilla-6 constituency, has been served show-cause for the third time.
This time, he received the show-cause for assaulting an Ekattor TV journalist.
The Election Inquiry Committee of Cumilla-6 has instructed the candidate or their representative to appear at its temporary office in Cumilla on 24 December to explain the reasons for this incident.
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The announcement was made in a notice signed by Md Siraj Uddin Iqbal, the enquiry committee's chairman, on Friday (22 December).
"During your (Bahar's) election campaign around 11am at the gate of Shaheed Dhirendranath Dutta Stadium in Cumilla city on 20 December, your supporters, under your direction, attacked Ekattor Television's reporter Kazi Enamul Haque Faruk and cameraperson Saidur Rahman Sohag while they were performing their professional duties, and snatched their mobile and live broadcast devices," the show-cause document mentions.
"Your personal secretary was also involved in the indiscriminate beating of the cameraperson Sohag. You were seen making bitter remarks stating, 'No TV journalist will cover my campaign,' and verbally abusing the journalists of Ekattor TV using indecent language.
"Your actions, along with those of your personal secretary and supporters, demonstrate unruly behaviour during the election campaign, which is contrary to a free and fair electoral environment," the document read.
"These actions are seen as clearly violating the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Rules of Conduct of Political Parties and Candidates in Parliamentary Elections, 2008.
"Accordingly, you, along with your personal secretary and the involved supporters, are directed to appear before the Election Inquiry Committee of Cumilla-6, either personally or through a suitable representative, to explain these actions at 12pm on 24 December 24," it said.
On 20 December, an assault was reported on the journalists and cameraperson of Ekattor TV during the preparation for a live broadcast.
This incident occurred at the gate of Shaheed Dhirendranath Dutta Stadium around 11am on Wednesday. The victims were the former general secretary of Cumilla Press Club, the president of Cumilla Television Journalists' Forum, and Ekattor Television's own reporter Kazi Enamul Haque Faruk and cameraperson Saidur Rahman Sohag.
The live device and mobile camera have not been recovered yet.
Previously, MP Bahar was show-caused twice in one day.
On 18 December, he was show-caused once for instructing to break the hands and legs of any BNP-Jamaat activists found supporting any candidate in the election and a second time on the same day for violating the code conduct by holding a meeting at the PTI School ground in Kaliyajuri of the city.
