Election affidavits submitted by Jamaat-e-Islami nominated candidates contesting in Chattogram constituencies have revealed sharp contrasts in personal wealth and legal histories, with some candidates declaring assets worth several crore taka while others reported no immovable property or a long list of criminal cases.”
An analysis of the affidavits filed with the Election Commission shows that AKM Fazlul Haq, Jamaat candidate for Chattogram-9, is the wealthiest among them, declaring net assets exceeding Tk 7.43 crore. By contrast, Anwar Siddique (Chattogram-4) and Mahmudul Hasan (Chattogram-13) reported no agricultural land, houses or apartments in their own names.
On the legal front, Shahjahan Chowdhury, Jamaat candidate for Chattogram-15 and a former lawmaker, tops the list with 71 criminal cases filed against him in the past, of which nine are currently pending, according to his affidavit.
Some candidates declared substantial assets worth crores. Dr Fazlul Haq, a physician and businessman, also declared that his wife owns assets worth more than Tk 3.10 crore, while his main sources of income are professional earnings and stock market investments.
ATM Rezaul Karim, Jamaat candidate for Chattogram-7, ranked second in terms of wealth, declaring movable assets worth about Tk 3.20 crore, with his wife owning assets valued at nearly Tk 1 crore.
Other notable asset declarations include Md Abu Naser (Chattogram-8), who owns a building worth Tk 1.22 crore and reported an annual income of Tk 43.64 lakh, Muhammad Alauddin (Chattogram-3) with immovable assets valued at around Tk 1.43 crore, Mohammad Shafiul Alam (Chattogram-11) with personal assets exceeding Tk 1.10 crore, and Mohammad Jahirul Alam (Chattogram-16), who declared non-agricultural land worth Tk 1 crore.
Several candidates disclosed having no immovable property in their own names.
Anwar Siddique of Chattogram-4 reported only movable assets worth Tk 38.96 lakh, while retired teacher Mahmudul Hasan of Chattogram-13 declared no land or buildings, although his wife owns immovable assets worth Tk 45 lakh.
Speaking to TIMES of Bangladesh, Mahmudul Hasan said he spent his life in teaching and had no personal property, adding that his wife inherited assets from her family.
In Chattogram-2, retired professor Nurul Amin’s wife owns assets far exceeding his own, while Chattogram-6 candidate Md Shahjahan Manju relies on income from rented dump trucks and holds land worth Tk 70 lakh, with no pending legal cases or debts.
The affidavits also detail extensive legal records for some candidates. Besides Shahjahan Chowdhury, Muhammad Shamsuzzaman Helaly (Chattogram-10) reported 47 cases, mostly politically motivated, while Mohammad Shafiul Alam (Chattogram-11) declared 32 past cases, with two currently active.
Anwar Siddique faced 29 cases in the past but has none pending, while Mohammad Jahirul Islam (Chattogram-16) reported 11 past cases, with one under investigation.
In contrast, several candidates — including Mohammad Saifur Rahman (Chattogram-1), Nurul Amin (Chattogram-2), Md Shahjahan Manju (Chattogram-6), ATM Rezaul Karim (Chattogram-7), Dr Fazlul Haq (Chattogram-9) and Mahmudul Hasan (Chattogram-13) — reported no pending criminal cases.
In terms of liquid assets, Shahjahan Chowdhury declared the highest amount of cash in hand, totaling Tk 1.34 crore. Dr Fazlul Haq also reported significant stock market investments worth Tk 4.09 crore, followed by ATM Rezaul Karim with investments valued at Tk 1.17 crore.
Chattogram-1 candidate and lawyer Mohammad Shaifur Rahman has about Tk 35 lakh in cash and bank deposits, while Chattogram-8 contender Md Abu Naser’s share portfolio is valued at roughly Tk 63.5 lakh.
Most Jamaat candidates reported being largely debt-free. However, Md Abu Naser declared loans exceeding Tk 41 lakh, while Dr Fazlul Haq reported Tk 8 lakh in liabilities. The affidavit of the Chattogram-11 candidate Mohammad Shafiul Alam also noted a loan of Tk 2.3 lakh in his wife’s name.
The affidavits provide voters with a detailed snapshot of the financial standing and legal backgrounds of Jamaat-e-Islami candidates contesting parliamentary seats in Chattogram ahead of the national election.
