The High Court (HC) has declared the nomination of Kabir Mia, a candidate from Gono Odhikar Parishad, valid for the Gopalganj‑1 constituency.
A two‑member bench of the HC stayed the Election Commission’s previous decision on Tuesday and directed that his nomination be accepted, and an election symbol be allotted. Consequently, there is no further bar for him to contest the 13th parliamentary election.
He is currently in prison as he is an accused in an attempted murder case related to the anti‑discrimination student movement. He was arrested by Uttara West Police from the airport area on 17 April last year.
Previously, during the scrutiny of nomination papers, the returning officer cancelled Kabir’s candidacy after identifying him as a loan defaulter. He filed an appeal against this decision. However, the EC dismissed his appeal following a hearing.
Kabir later filed a writ petition with the High Court. During the hearing, his lawyers told the HC that the relevant loan‑related complications had already been settled, and Kabir is not a loan defaulter according to the law.
After hearing both sides, the HC declared his nomination valid.
Kabir is a former chairman of Muksudpur Upazila Parishad. Locals said he has a well‑organised vote bank due to his long‑standing political involvement. Formerly associated with Awami League politics, he is an influential figure in the area through his connections with various professional and social organisations.
He currently serves as the president of the Boritola–Muksudpur–Kashiani Regional Bus and Minibus Owners Association. He is a former president of the C&F Agent Association.
Notably, in the 12th national election in 2024, Kabir Mia contested as an independent candidate in the Gopalganj‑1 seat. He became a subject of intense political discussion after securing nearly 100,000 votes against the Awami League candidate, Col (retd) Muhammad Faruk Khan.
Political analysts suggest that the validation of Kabir’s nomination will intensify the election battle in the Gopalganj‑1 constituency.
