EC calls for inquiry into AL candidate’s statement in Chattogram

The Election Commission (EC) has instructed the deputy commissioner and the police superintendent of Chattogram to investigate the statements made by Awami League candidate Mojibul Haque Chowdhury ahead of the union parishad election at the Chambal union inside Banshkhali upazila.

On Saturday, Mojibul openly announced that he will keep his supporters in the polling booths to press the button in the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) for the voters. The video has since gone viral in social media.

The election is scheduled to take place on 15 June.

In a press release sent out on Tuesday, the EC has instructed the DC and police super to investigate the incident, find out who have been spreading misinformation about the election on Facebook and submit a report within 24 hours.

Mojibul Haque Chowdhury made the statement during campaigning for the election at ward No. 1 in Banglabazar. In the video, Mojibul, in the local Chattogram dialect, told the voters through a handheld megaphone, “The government is carrying out the election here with EVMs. What could I do about it? You will have to kindly press a button to cast your the vote. If you can’t press it, I will keep people there who will press it for you. So, everyone please give me your blessings.”

He further said, “If there was no EVM, I wouldn’t depend on anyone else, I would’ve given the votes myself.”