Magistrate Sarwar Morshed of the Third Magistrate Court served the notices on Nadim Mostafa and 18 other absconding accused in the case.

Other accused are Durgapur Municipal Chairman and local BNP leader Saidur Rahman Mantu, BNP activists Mominur Rahman, Enamul Haq, Shahin, Tuhin, Shamsul, Gaffar, Mantu, Abu Bakkar, Ansar, Akhtaruzzaman, Kazi, Alif, Chanchal, Bablu, Huda and Zaker.

The accused in league with each other demanded Tk 1 lakh in toll from Maria Union Chairman Molla Hasan Imam Faruk on the election day of the union council on July 14, 2003.

As Faruk refused to oblige, Nadim's accomplices prevented Faruk's followers from going to the polling centres. They also launched an attack on the villagers, leaving many of them injured.

Of the injured, two villagers--Sekandar Ali and Zamal--filed the case with police station on April 24, accusing 20 people.

On May 18, police pressed charges against 18 people, dropping names of three for lack of evidence.

Earlier, Nadim Mostafa did not respond to the similar notices issued by two other courts in separate cases for abetting militants of the outlawed Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh. The courts began trial on May 10.