In Bhola’s Charfassion municipality under the Bhola-4 constituency, Jamaat-e-Islami’s local unit held a counter press conference on Thursday afternoon denying allegations of harassment made by Islami Andolan Bangladesh. The dispute arose after Islami Andolan’s female activist Maria Kamal claimed on Wednesday that two Jamaat workers obstructed and harassed her during election campaigning. Jamaat’s Charfassion unit chief, Mir Mohammad Sharif Hossain, rejected the accusation and presented a different version of events.

According to Jamaat’s statement, the incident occurred around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday in Ward 6, when Maria Kamal, her son Tahzib, and Youth Andolan secretary Faisal were distributing leaflets for Islami Andolan’s Bhola-4 candidate A.M.M. Kamal Uddin. A verbal dispute reportedly broke out with locals over remarks about political alliances. Jamaat alleged that Faisal assaulted a retired teacher and later attacked a mosque imam who tried to record the scene, injuring him. The imam was hospitalized afterward.

Jamaat leaders said no woman was harassed and accused Islami Andolan of spreading false claims on social media despite a local reconciliation. Earlier that morning, Islami Andolan’s candidate Kamal Uddin had demanded punishment for those allegedly involved in the attack.