UP chairman in Bagerhat sued over 'misogynistic comments' targeting AL candidate
"We are engulfed in curses. There is no room for doubt. There is no relief, no peace in the public's mind. The reason is that female leadership is haram [forbidden]. We are here living under female leadership,” he had said.
Chairman of Sundarban Union Parishad (UP) Ekram Ali Ezaradar has been sued for violating the electoral code of conduct by making "misogynistic remarks' last month targeting the Awami League candidate for Bagerhat-3 in the 12th national polls.
Upazila Election Officer Abdullah Al Mamun filed the case at the Mongla police station on Monday (22 January).
Further action would be taken in this regard as per the law, he told The Business Standard.
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KM Azizul Islam, officer-in-charge of Mongla police station, said the police are investigating the case and working to arrest the accused.
According to the case statement, UP Chairman Ekram made the comments on 30 December while speaking at a constituency meeting organised as part of the electoral campaign of independent candidate Idris Ali Ezaradar, Ekram's maternal uncle, who ran in the Jatiya Sangsad polls with the symbol 'eagle'.
"We are engulfed in curses. There is no room for doubt. There is no relief, no peace in the public's mind. The reason is that female leadership is haram [forbidden]. We are here living under female leadership. We are establishing women leadership by giving our vote to Begum Habibun Nahar (Awami League candidate for the seat) twice," he said on the occasion.
"We don't have any happiness here. I told you the truth here. She is a woman, does she understand politics and social policy? She doesn't understand anything," he added.
Ekram has been charged with violating the electoral code of conduct under Section-73 of the Representation of the People Order, 1972 and Rule-18 of the Code of Conduct for Parliamentary Elections, 2008.
After the incident, he was summoned by the Bagerhat Joint District and Sessions Judge Obaida Khana, also the district's election inquiry committee chairman.
In 2021, Ekram Ali became UP chairman of Mongla upazila unopposed, by party nomination of the Awami League.
