A mobile court on Saturday fined a government employee Tk 20,000 for violating the election code of conduct by arranging a secret meeting with election officials ahead of the 13th National Parliament elections in Chapainawabganj’s Bholahat upazila.
The fined official, Md Erfan Ali, is an employee of the Dhaka Higher Secondary Education Office and a resident of Bireshwarpur village in the upazila.
The drive was conducted around 4:30pm by Bholahat Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) and Executive Magistrate Md Shamim Hossain at Erfan’s residence in Bireshwarpur.
According to mobile court sources, Erfan organised a meeting at his house with headmasters and potential assistant presiding officers from different educational institutions in the upazila. Although the gathering was presented as a teachers’ association meeting, BNP-nominated candidate for Chapainawabganj-2 constituency Md Aminul Islam was invited.
However, he did not attend.
Acting on secret information, the upazila administration raided the venue and found evidence suggesting an attempt to hold undisclosed meetings with election-related officials and influence the electoral process.
Following the raid, the mobile court fined Md Erfan Ali Tk 20,000 under the Code of Conduct for Political Parties and Candidates in the Parliamentary Elections, 2025. He paid the fine on the spot.
Executive Magistrate Md Shamim Hossain said the administration remains on high alert to ensure free, fair and impartial elections. “If any government official or employee violates the code of conduct or attempts to influence the election, strict legal action will be taken,” he said.
Bholahat Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Shaheen Mahmud said calling government officials to a private residence for such a meeting constitutes a clear violation of the election code. “That is why he has been fined Tk 20,000,” he added.
Bholahat Upazila BNP President Yazdani Alim Al Raji Judge said he was unaware of the incident and would look into the matter.
BNP candidate Md Aminul Islam said he was attending an election rally and would comment later in the evening.