The National Citizen Party on Saturday served show-cause notices on its Chattogram city unit convener Mir Mohammad Sohaib and member secretary Arif Moinuddin for publicly taking a position over a sexual harassment allegation against a central leader while the matter remains under investigation.

The show-cause notices were issued by the office cell of the NCP’s central convening committee, said NCP central committee joint member secretary Joynal Abedin Shishir.

According to the notices, a complaint was submitted to the party’s central disciplinary committee on June 18 against NCP central joint member secretary and Chattogram divisional organising secretary Abu Sayeed Mohammad Suja Uddin.

The central leadership subsequently formed a three-member investigation and disciplinary committee to look into the allegation.

The notices alleged that, despite the ongoing investigation, the Chattogram city unit issued a press release using the party’s letterhead and made public statements on social media before any organisational decision was taken over the issue.

The central leadership also alleged that comments attacking the complainant and using disrespectful language were made on social media.

Describing the actions as a violation of party discipline, the central leadership sought a written explanation from city unit member secretary Arif Moinuddin within 24 hours.

Copies of the notices were sent to the party’s convener, member secretary and the chief of the central disciplinary committee.

Earlier on Thursday, a female NCP activist at a press conference in Chattogram accused Abu Sayeed Mohammad Suja Uddin and city leader Sadia Afrin of sexually harassing her.

The woman alleged that she had been invited to a hotel bar in the city with the assurance of being given a party post, where she was subjected to inappropriate behaviour.