JASHORE — An assistant returning officer has issued a show-cause notice to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s parliamentary candidate for Jashore-4 after his supporters held a campaign rally in violation of the election code of conduct, officials said.
Bhupali Sarkar, the Bagharpara upazila nirbahi officer and assistant returning officer for the seat, issued the notice on Monday, Dec. 15, to engineer T.S. Ayub, the BNP candidate and senior joint secretary of the central Krishak Dal. He has been given two days to respond in writing.
Local administration and witnesses said BNP union leaders and activists held a rally at Raipur Bazar in Bagharpara upazila on Monday afternoon. The procession, led by Raipur union BNP president Abdus Salam Saudi and general secretary Abdul Kuddus, ended with a brief street meeting after circling the market. Participants chanted slogans in support of the party’s sheaf-of-paddy symbol and Ayub. A video of the procession circulated on social media and was shared on Ayub’s Facebook account.
The notice, signed by Sarkar, said the Election Commission has announced the schedule for the 13th parliamentary election and a referendum. It cited Rule 18 of the 2025 election code of conduct for political parties and candidates, which states that no registered political party, candidate or independent candidate, or any other person on their behalf, may begin election campaigning earlier than three weeks before the date set for voting.
“However, it is known that on the afternoon of Dec. 15, 2025, you or your party’s supporters held a procession for election campaign purposes in Raipur union of Bagharpara upazila without authorization, in clear violation of the 2025 code of conduct,” the notice said.
“Given that you are a probable candidate for the sheaf-of-paddy symbol in Jashore-4 constituency 88, you are requested to explain in writing within two days why action should not be taken against you under the rules,” it added.
Sarkar told reporters that officials had gone to the scene after complaints from local residents, but the program had ended by the time they arrived. “The election code says candidates cannot begin any election campaign earlier than three weeks before the day set for voting,” she said. “The BNP candidate was not at the rally, but his supporters were. Because the rally was held on the candidate’s behalf, the code of conduct was breached, so the candidate has been issued a preliminary show-cause notice. If the response is not satisfactory, action will follow under the rules.”
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report