The Election Commission’s decision to uphold the cancellation of Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Dr AKM Fazlul Haque’s nomination has reshaped the race in the Chattogram-9 (Kotowali–Bakalia) constituency.
With a key challenger ruled out, the ruling effectively clears the way for BNP candidate Abu Sufian, former convener of the party’s South Chattogram district unit, ahead of the 13th parliamentary election.
The commission rejected Fazlul Haque’s appeal on Monday after a hearing, barring him from contesting due to dual citizenship complications. The decision confirmed an earlier order issued on 4 January by Chattogram Divisional Commissioner and Returning Officer Md Ziauddin, who cancelled the nomination on the same grounds.
In an affidavit submitted to the returning officer’s office, Fazlul Haque said he had been a United States citizen and had relinquished that citizenship on 28 December. Election officials, however, said no official documents were submitted to substantiate the claim during scrutiny of the nomination papers.
Following the Election Commission’s decision, Fazlul Haque said he had applied to renounce his US citizenship and had been given an appointment at the US Embassy. “The process is under way. I raised the matter in the appeal, but the Election Commission did not accept it,” he said.
Jamaat-e-Islami termed the decision biased and announced plans to continue legal action. In a statement, the candidate’s lawyer, Barrister Muhammad Belayet Hossain, said a writ petition would be filed with the High Court Division, alleging misinterpretation of the Constitution and relevant provisions of the Representation of the People Order.
In Chattogram-9, nomination papers of 13 candidates were scrutinised on 4 January, with nine found valid and four cancelled. With the appeal dismissed, Fazlul Haque has been finally ruled out of the election.
As a result, Abu Sufian will face candidates from several smaller parties, including Shafi Uddin Kabir Abid of Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal (BSD-Marxist), Maulana Wahed Murad of Islamic Front Bangladesh, Mohammad Naim Uddin of Insaniyat Biplob Bangladesh, Abdus Shukur of Islami Andolon Bangladesh, BMd Nezam Uddin of Bangladesh Nizam-e-Islam Party, Md Haider Ali Chowdhury of Janatar Dal and Syed Mohammad Hasan Maruf of Ganosamhati Andolan.
Among them, Islami Andolon Bangladesh and the Nezame Islam Party are part of the like-minded alliance of 11 parties. As a result, the party nominated by the alliance will be the one to contest the election.
Abu Sufian told TIMES of Bangladesh that the contest would have been competitive had the Jamaat candidate remained in the race, adding that he would welcome a return through due legal process.
“Even though his nomination was cancelled by the Election Commission, I hope he returns to the electoral field through due legal process. I always wish him well and would welcome him in the contest,” he said.
Political analysts said none of the candidates from these parties have a strong vote bank in the constituency, effectively giving BNP candidate Abu Sufian a free run in the race.
Professor Md Safiqul Islam of the Department of Political Science at the University of Chittagong told TIMES that the Awami League will not be able to contest the upcoming 13th parliamentary election, meaning the main contest would otherwise have been between the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami.
“As the cancellation of the Jamaat candidate’s nomination has been upheld, there is effectively no main rival left,” he said, adding that the chances of regaining eligibility through a writ petition at the High Court are slim under Election Commission rules due to the dual citizenship issue.
Chattogram-9 is regarded as the most important constituency among the 16 parliamentary seats in Chattogram district. Past records show that the party winning the seat goes on to form the government, and the elected lawmaker from the constituency usually secures a place in the cabinet, a trend that has held in almost all parliamentary elections since 1991.
Local and party sources said the country’s political equation has shifted since the fall of the Awami League government following the mass uprising on 5 August, 2024.
Initially, the contest in Chattogram-9 was expected to be between the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, but that equation has changed with the Jamaat candidate’s nomination cancellation being upheld.
