Rumeen Farhana served show-cause notice, order to appear in person by returning officer
Rumeen Farhana, an independent candidate for the Brahmanbaria-2 (Sarail–Ashuganj and parts of Bijoynagar) constituency, has been served a show-cause notice by the returning officer, directing her to appear at the office of the returning officer and district administration.
The order was issued on Sunday night by the returning officer and district administrator, Sharmin Akter Jahan.
The notice was issued following allegations that Rumeen Farhana violated the electoral code of conduct and threatened an executive magistrate through arrogant and discourteous behaviour. She has been asked to appear in person at 11:00am on 22 January before the returning officer and district administrator to explain the incident.
According to the notice, on Saturday at around 4:00–5:00pm, Rumeen Farhana held an election rally attended by approximately 400–500 people at a place called Islampur in Noagaon Union of Sarail upazila, Brahmanbaria. She allegedly constructed a large stage and delivered political speeches using microphones, which constitutes a violation of the Political Parties and Candidates’ Code of Conduct 2025. When the executive magistrate conducting a mobile court ordered the gathering to be dispersed immediately, Rumeen Farhana reportedly behaved arrogantly and discourteously toward the magistrate and issued various threats.
At one stage of the incident, according to the notice, she showed her thumb at the executive magistrate and said, “If I don’t tell you, you won’t be able to leave this place—keep that in mind. Today I raised my finger and said it; in the future, I won’t listen.”
The notice further states that by creating a “mob” and obstructing judicial duties, and by threatening a magistrate on duty, she clearly violated the electoral code of conduct. The incident has spread across social media as well as various electronic and print media, causing negative public reaction. As these actions have disrupted the fair and impartial conduct of the 13th National Parliamentary Election 2026, Rumeen Farhana has been instructed to appear on 22 January at 11:00am to provide an explanation. Failure to do so will result in legal action in her absence.
Earlier on Saturday, the assistant returning officer and Sarail upazila nirbahi officer (UNO), Abubakar Sarker, wrote to Ashraful Islam, senior civil judge in charge of the election inquiry and judicial committee, seeking legal action against Rumeen Farhana for allegedly creating a mob and obstructing judicial work.
It may be noted that on Saturday evening, during a courtyard meeting in Islampur village of Noagaon Union in Sarail upazila, Rumeen Farhana got into a verbal altercation with an executive magistrate over alleged violations of the electoral code of conduct. She was later fined Tk 40,000 for breaching the code.