Muhammad Shakhawat Hossain had submitted his nomination as an independent candidate for Chattogram-12 (Patiya) constituency. The total number of voters in Patiya is 3 lakh 53 thousand 195. Accordingly, he submitted signatures of 3,531 voters. When 10 signatories were questioned on this matter through a random selection process, seven voters denied giving their signatures. On Saturday, the District Returning Officer of the Election Commission cancelled his candidacy.
Not only Shakhawat Hossain, but 17 independent candidates in 16 constituencies of Chattogram were cancelled for the same reason. A total of 18 independent candidates submitted nominations to the returning officers at the Chattogram Regional Election Officer’s Office, the District Commissioner’s Office, and the Divisional Commissioner’s Office.
Among these, apart from independent candidate Shafiqul Islam Rahi of Chattogram-14 (Chandanaish) constituency and Muhammad Layakat Ali of Chattogram-16 (Banshkhali) constituency, the nominations of 16 candidates have been cancelled on similar allegations.
Returning officers expressed dissatisfaction over the matter and cautioned independent candidates. A warning was issued that stern action would be taken if such fraudulent practices were resorted to in the future.
According to Election Commission office sources, the independent candidates whose nominations were cancelled are: Mohammad Ashraf Siddiqui in Chattogram-1 (Mirsharai) constituency; Zinnat Akhtar and Ahmad Kabir in Chattogram-2 (Fatikchhari); Md Mowahedul Maula in Chattogram-3; Md Nurur Rashid in Chattogram-4; SM Fazlul Haque, Mohammad Imam Uddin Riyad, and Shakila Farzana in Chattogram-5 (Hathazari); Md Azad Chowdhury in Chattogram-8 (Chandgaon-Boalkhali); Milan Kanti Sharma in Chattogram-9 (Bakalia-Kotwali); Mohammad Arman Ali and Md Omar Yusuf Khan in Chattogram-10 (Panchlaish-Pahartali); Mohammad Jahangir Bhuiyan in Chattogram-11 (Bandar-Patenga); Syed Sadat Ahmad and Muhammad Shakhawat Hossain in Chattogram-12 (Patiya); Mohammad Mijanul Haque Chowdhury, and Mohammad Nurul Anwar in Chattogram-14 (Chandanaish).
In the nomination paper of independent candidate Ashraf Siddiqui from Mirsharai constituency, the signature of a deceased person was found in the list of voter signatures.
Several of the independent candidates were nomination hopefuls from BNP. As the party did not give them nominations, they submitted nominations as independent candidates. Among them are SM Fazlul Haque, former deputy treasurer of BNP’s central committee for Chattogram-5 constituency; Shakila Farzana, daughter of former whip Wahidul Alam; and Layakat Ali from Chattogram-16 constituency. He resigned from the post of chairman of Gandamara Union in Banshkhali to become a member of parliament.
According to Election Commission law, to be an independent candidate, a list of names, signatures, and mobile phone numbers of 1 percent of the total voters of the respective electoral area must be submitted along with the nomination paper. This must be confirmed on the last day of nomination paper submission.
There is no such obligation for party-nominated candidates.
