After nine consecutive days of appeal hearings against decisions by returning officers in the 13th national parliamentary election, a total of 422 candidates have regained their candidacy, accounting for more than 65% of all appellants, according to the Election Commission.
At the same time, the commission cancelled the candidacy of four BNP nominees, despite their nomination papers having earlier been declared valid by returning officers.
The affected candidates are Manzurul Ahsan Munshi from Cumilla-4, Abdul Gafur Bhuiyan from Cumilla-10, Sarwar Alamgir from Chattogram-2, and Talha Shahriar Ayyub from Jashore-4. The BNP has another nominated candidate in the Jashore-4 constituency.
The ninth and final day of hearings was held on Sunday at the auditorium of the Election Building in Dhaka. Briefing reporters afterwards, Election Commission Public Relations Wing Director Ruhul Amin Mallik said 63 appeals were heard on the final day.
Of these, 23 appeals were allowed, including 21 appeals against the rejection of nomination papers and two appeals seeking the cancellation of nominations that had previously been accepted. The commission, meanwhile, rejected 35 appeals, comprising 18 appeals against the cancellation of nomination papers and 16 appeals challenging their acceptance, he said.
One appeal seeking to uphold a returning officer’s cancellation order was also rejected. During the hearings, three appeals were withdrawn, one appellant was absent, and two appeals were kept pending, according to the EC official.
According to Election Commission data, the appeal hearings began on 10 January. On the first day, 51 candidates regained their candidacy, followed by 58 on the second day, 41 on the third, 44 on the fourth, 73 on the fifth, 33 on the sixth, 60 on the seventh, 44 on the eighth, and 21 candidates on the final day.
Meanwhile, most appeals related to loan default and dual citizenship were disposed of on the ninth day of hearings.
On Sunday, the Election Commission examined appeals involving 23 candidates facing complications over dual citizenship. Of them, two candidates had their nominations cancelled, one decision was kept pending, while 20 candidates were cleared to contest the election.
The commission cancelled the candidacy of BNP nominee Abdul Gafur Bhuiyan from Cumilla-10 after he failed to appear at the hearing in connection with the dual citizenship issue. In another case, the commission kept pending a decision on BNP candidate Kazi Shah Mofazzel Hossain Kaykobad from Cumilla-3 while it checks documents confirming that he has given up his Turkish citizenship. Officials said his candidacy is likely to be approved.
The candidates who were cleared to contest the election despite dual citizenship-related scrutiny include Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Mohammad Nazrul Islam from Dhaka-1; BNP candidates AKM Kamruzzaman (Dinajpur-5), Moniruzzaman (Satkhira-4), Shama Obaid (Faridpur-2), Tahir Raihan (Sunamganj-2), Shawkatul Islam (Moulvibazar-2), Kabir Ahmed Bhuiyan (Brahmanbaria-4), Abdul Awwal Mintu (Feni-3), Fahim (Sherpur-2) and Afroza Khanam Rita (Manikganj-3).
They also include independent candidates Sujat Mia (Habiganj-1), Zahirul Islam (Noakhali-1) and one independent contender from Sunamganj-3; Jamaat candidates Junaid Hasan (Brahmanbaria-3), Moslem Uddin Farid (Jashore-2), AK Fazlul Haque (Chattogram-9) and Mahbub Alam Saleh (Kurigram-3); Islami Andolan Bangladesh candidate Amzad Hossain (Chattogram-3); Jatiya Party candidate Md Manjum Ali (Rangpur-1); and Khelafat Majlis candidate Azadul Haque (Natore-1).
Separately, the commission on Sunday also cancelled the candidacy of BNP nominee Sarwar Alamgir from Chattogram-2 over allegations of loan default.
EC acted without bias, CEC says
Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin said the Election Commission had acted without bias while hearing appeals against decisions taken by returning officers in the 13th national parliamentary election.
Speaking after the final day of appeal hearings, he said the commission had also relaxed the requirement for independent candidates to submit signatures from one per cent of voters in their constituencies in order to encourage broader participation.
“We want the election to be inclusive and participatory,” he said. “Many may criticise us, but you have seen how we set aside the one per cent voter endorsement requirement for independent candidates because we want everyone to take part in a credible election.”
He added that cooperation from all sides was essential to ensure a fair process. “I can assure you, on behalf of myself and my team, that we did not deliver any judgment with bias,” he said.
Referring to the rigorous questioning during the hearings, the chief election commissioner said the exchange of arguments was a healthy part of the process. “You raised questions and we responded to them. Our scholars call this a reasoned debate,” he said, congratulating journalists and observers for what he described as constructive engagement and expressing hope for similar cooperation in the future.
At the same briefing, Election Commissioner Abul Fazl Md Sanaullah said the commission had granted relief to some loan defaulters only because the law allowed it.
“We did so with a heavy heart,” he said, adding that the decisions were taken strictly within the legal framework.
