A Chattogram court on Sunday (February 18) granted bail to lawmaker Mohiuddin Bachchu of Chattogram-10 (Khulshi-Pahartali) constituency in a case filed in connection with the violation of electoral code of conduct.

Chattogram Fourth Metropolitan Magistrate Md Salauddin passed the order.

The court granted bail after the Mohiuddin Bachchu surrendered before it and submitted a bail petition, said Bachchu’s lawyer Md Ibrahim Hossain Chowdhury Babul.

The same court issued an arrest warrant against the lawmaker as he did not appear before it on Thursday, set for hearing on the case filed by the Election Commission.

Election Officer Md Mostafa Kamal of Double Mooring Thana filed the case.

According to the case statement, Mohiuddin Bachchu gave cheques of donation of Tk1,000 to imams and muezzins of all the mosques in his constituency and Tk1 lakh to Madani Mosque on 22 December last year.

The matter of donation was also announced before the Jumma prayer sermon, alleged the plaintiff in the case.

It was also alleged that the lawmaker handed over cheques of donation of Tk60,000 to imams and muezzins of mosques at his main election office in the city’s Lalkhan Bazar area on 24 December.

Later, the Election Inquiry Committee found evidence of the distribution of cheques of donation to 21 mosques, temples, and pagodas.

The Election Commission gave a directive to file a case against the Awami League-nominated candidate on 4 January, following a complaint lodged by Bachchu’s opponent and independent candidate Manjur Alam.

BDST: 1618 HRS, FEB 18, 2024
MSK