Nahid Islam, the 11-party electoral alliance candidate in the Dhaka-11 constituency, has filed a writ petition challenging the validity of the candidacy of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) nominee MA Quayum.
The writ was filed today, Monday with the relevant branch of the High Court.
Zahirul Islam Musa, lawyer for National Citizen Party (NCP) convener Nahid Islam, said the writ will be heard in the High Court later this week.
The lawyer told Prothom Alo, “MA Quayum is a citizen of a country called Vanuatu, a fact he concealed in his affidavit. Under the Constitution, individuals with dual citizenship are ineligible to contest parliamentary elections.”
Zahirul Islam Musa said the writ petition was filed on the grounds that MA Quayum concealed this information in his affidavit.
In addition to seeking a rule, the writ also seeks a stay on the returning officer’s decision that validated MA Quayum’s candidacy, added the lawyer.
After scrutiny of nomination papers at the Divisional Commissioner’s office in Segunbagicha area of the capital on 3 January, the returning officer declared MA Quayum’s nomination valid.
MA Quayum, the BNP-nominated candidate in the Dhaka-11 constituency, is the party’s secretary for microcredit affairs.