The nomination of Jamaat-e-Islami candidate and central assistant secretary general Hamidur Rahman Azad has been cancelled in the Cox’s Bazar–2 constituency, covering Maheshkhali and Kutubdia.
District returning officer and deputy commissioner Md Abdul Mannan announced on Friday evening following scrutiny of nomination papers.
The cancelled candidates are Jamaat-e-Islami leader Hamidur Rahman Azad and independent candidate Golam Mawla.
Sources at the returning officer’s office said information regarding an ongoing case against Azad emerged during the scrutiny process. His nomination was initially kept temporarily suspended in line with Election Commission rules before being cancelled due to legal complications related to the case.
The candidates whose nominations were declared valid in Cox’s Bazar–2 are BNP candidate Alamgir Muhammad Mahfuz Ullah Farid, Islami Andolan candidate Ziaul Haque, Khelafat Majlis candidate Obaidul Qader Nadvi, Gono Odhikar Parishad candidate S M Roknuzzaman Khan and Jatiya Party candidate Md Mahmudul Karim.
According to the revised schedule announced by the Election Commission, scrutiny of nomination papers will continue nationwide until 4 January. Appeals against the returning officer’s decisions can be filed from 5 to 9 January, with disposal scheduled between 10 and 18 January, while candidates may withdraw their nominations by 20 January.
Electoral symbols will be allocated on 21 January, and the national parliamentary election along with the fourth referendum will be held on 12 February.
