The candidacy of Shefali Begum, backed by the Bangladesh Supreme Party in Kurigram-4, was cancelled after her husband, KM Fazlul Mondal, a Jatiya Party nominee in the same seat, filed an appeal.
During an appeal hearing at the Election Commission office in Dhaka on Wednesday, the commission cancelled Shefali’s previously valid nomination in response to Fazlul’s petition.
Both collected and submitted nomination papers to contest the 13th parliamentary election from Kurigram-4 (Chilmari, Rowmari, and Rajibpur). After scrutiny, the returning officer initially declared both nominations valid.
The matter drew the attention of locals as they were contesting from the same constituency under different political parties.
Jatiya Party candidate Fazlul claimed that their marital relationship had ended. On the other hand, Shefali told the media that Mondal is still her husband legally. Despite longstanding discord, their marriage remains valid according to the law, she said.
Meanwhile, in the same parliamentary seat, Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Mustafizur Rahman Mostak has been accused of concealing information in his affidavit submitted to the EC.
The complaint was filed by Mostak’s stepbrother Mohammad Ali, son of BNP-nominated candidate Md Azizur Rahman, who is contesting from the same area. Ali submitted the written complaint on Friday, but the matter became public on Wednesday.
Despite his father being a rival candidate, Ali said he lodged the complaint as a conscientious citizen.
According to documents, Mostak is a licensed dealer of seeds and fertilisers under the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) at Kortimari Bazar in Rowmari upazila, Kurigram.
However, the complaint alleges that Mostak failed to disclose this active commercial license in his affidavit. It states that not including such information, despite the license enabling regular financial transactions and income, violates Section 44(2) of the Representation of the People Order, 1972.
Ali has requested the EC to investigate and take appropriate action. He said, “I filed a written complaint against the Jamaat candidate because he concealed information. As a citizen, I believe this should be reported to the government.”
However, Jamaat candidate Mostak claimed that it happened by mistake.
He said, “I mentioned my business in the affidavit but forgot to include the dealer’s documents. All papers will be submitted at the hearing in Dhaka on 17 January.”
