Nomination of another AL candidate cancelled, 43 regain candidacy

The nomination paper of the Awami League nominated candidate from the Mymensingh-2 constituency Abdus Salam was declared valid by the returning officer there during the scrutiny. Incumbent MP of the constituency Anwarul Abedin Khan appealed to the Election Commission (EC) against the decision of the returning officer.

Following that, the commission cancelled the nomination of Abdus Salam during the hearing at the EC Thursday. The commission took the decision as the Awami League nominated candidate was found to be a loan defaulter. The incumbent MP of the constituency Anwarul Abedin Khan is running for the polls as an independent candidate after failing to secure the party nomination.

So far, two Awami League nominated candidates have lost their candidacy during the hearing at the EC after their nomination paper was declared valid during the scrutiny. The other ruling party candidate whose nomination was cancelled is Enamul Haque Babul of Jashore-4 constituency. His nomination was also cancelled for being a loan defaulter.

Meanwhile, nomination papers of four Awami League candidates were cancelled by the respective returning officers during the scrutiny. They are – Salah Uddin Ahmad from the Cox’s Bazar-1 constituency, Nasirul Islam Khan from the Kishoreganj-3, Shammi Ahmed from Barishal-4 and Mamunur Rashid from the Noakhali-3 constituency.

They all appealed to the EC challenging the decision of the returning officers. Of them, Nasirul Islam Khan and Mamunur Rashid have regained their candidacy in the hearing at the EC. The EC will take a decision regarding the two other candidates today, Friday.

A total of 101 appeals were heard at the Nirbachan Bhaban (election building) on the fifth day on Thursday. Some 43 appellants got back their candidacy in the hearings. Besides, AL candidate Abdus Salam’s nomination was declared invalid. Some 52 appeals were rejected on the day.

Apart from the appeals to regain candidacy, many had appealed to cancel the candidacy of the candidates who were declared eligible during scrutiny. The commission could not reach a decision regarding the candidacy of four persons Thursday.

The deadline to appeal against the decision of the returning officers ends today. The commission is also supposed to settle all the pending appeals Friday.

A total 257 individuals regained their candidacy during the 5-day hearing at the EC while three of the candidates were declared ineligible, including the two Awami League candidates and independent candidate from Sunamganj-4 constituency Dewan Shamsul Arefin.

Awami League candidate from the Barishal-4 constituency and the party’s international affairs secretary Shammi Ahmed made two appeals on Thursday, one to regain her candidacy and the other seeking cancellation of the nomination of independent candidate and incumbent MP from the constituency Pankaj Nath. She brought charges of hiding asset information against Pankaj Kumar Nath. The commission will settle both appeals today.

Most candidates, who were declared ineligible by the returning officer for being loan defaulters, are not being able to regain their candidacy. The EC rejected the appeal of independent candidate Mostafa Jahangir Kamal from the Khulna-6 constituency.

Earlier on Wednesday, the EC rejected the appeal submitted by independent candidate of Gazipur-4 constituency Alam Ahmed. The respective returning officer cancelled his candidacy for being a loan defaulter. He failed to secure his candidacy despite appealing to the EC. Simin Hossain Rimi is the Awami League nominated candidate from that constituency.

Major (retired) Akhtaruzzaman of the Kishoreganj-2 constituency has got back his candidacy. The former BNP leader is contesting the polls as an independent candidate. His nomination paper was cancelled on the allegation of hiding information about cases against him and loan default.

The EC has retained the candidacy of Awami League candidate from the Sylhet-3 constituency Habibur Rahman. Jatiya Party (JaPa) candidate Atikur Rahman from the same constituency appealed challenging the validity of his candidacy citing dual citizenship.

The appeals seeking cancellation of the candidacy of Mohammad Ekramul Karim from Noakhali-4 and JaPa candidate Ruhul Amin Hawladar from Patuakhali-1 were rejected by the EC.

A clash broke out in front of the Election Commission between the supporters of Awami League candidate Md Abdus Sabur from Cumilla-1 constituency and independent candidate Nayeem Hasan, whose nomination paper was cancelled. His nomination was cancelled due to the discrepancy in the list signatures of 1 per cent of the voters. After the hearing on Thursday, the EC upheld the decision of the returning officer.

According to the eye witnesses, followers of Awami League candidate Abdus Sabur taunted Nayeem Hasan and his followers when they were coming out of the EC building leading to a scuffle between the two groups. Later, police arrived and brought the situation under control. The police also detained two followers of Nayeem Hasan from the spot.

Speaking to the newspersons, Nayeem Hasan said, “The supporters of the Awami League candidate were not supposed to be at the hearing. They taunted us while we were coming out of the EC. At one point, they attacked us.”

Meanwhile, Cumilla district (north) Chhatra League general secretary Md Sarwar Hossain claimed, “It was them, who attacked us first.”

Asked why they went there despite their candidate having no appeal against him, Sarwar said, “We came for updates.”

Speaking regarding the clash in front of the EC, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police station officer-in-charge (OC) Abul Kalam Azad told Prothom Alo, “The two groups got engaged in a scuffle. Later, police went there and defused them. There was nothing else.”