Appeal hearings over candidates’ nominations for the upcoming 13th National Parliament election concluded yesterday, January 18, resulting in BNP losing several heavyweight candidates in key constituencies, while many nominees from Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Andolon, and the Jatiyo Party had their candidacy restored.
According to Election Commission (EC) sources, 23 candidates regained eligibility on the final day of hearings. Overall, 417 candidates were reinstated and added to the list of valid contenders. However, many candidates who were initially declared valid lost their candidacy during the appeal process. EC disposed of appeals citing reasons such as dual citizenship, loan default status, and failure by independent candidates to verify the authenticity of the required 1 percent voter support.
Meanwhile, candidates whose nomination papers were rejected by returning officers later filed appeals with the EC. At the same time, appeals were also lodged against candidates initially declared valid, based on specific complaints and objections. The appeal hearings against decisions taken by returning officers were held from January 10 until yesterday, January 18.
Following the hearings, BNP lost the highest number of heavyweight candidates. Allegations against them included loan default and dual citizenship. Those affected include TS Ayub of Jashore-4, Manjurul Ahsan Munshi of Cumilla-4, Sarwar Alamgir of Chattogram-2, and Abdul Gafur Bhuiyan of Cumilla-10.
During the initial scrutiny, the returning officer concerned had rejected the nomination of TS Ayub in Jashore-4 on the grounds of loan default with Dhaka Bank. His appeal to regain candidacy was unsuccessful. Notably, the nomination of his son, Farhan Sajid, contesting as an independent candidate in the same constituency, was declared valid.
In Cumilla-4, Manjurul Ahsan Munshi was initially declared valid by the returning officer. However, Hasnat Abdullah of National Citizen Party (NCP), a rival candidate in the constituency, filed an appeal alleging loan default. During the hearing, inconsistencies were found in Munshi’s loan repayment documents, and insufficient evidence was produced to counter the allegations, leading the EC to cancel his candidacy.
Similarly, on the final day of hearings, BNP candidate Abdul Gafur Bhuiyan in Cumilla-10 was initially declared valid. However, an appeal was filed by Kazi Nure Alam Siddiqui of the Cultural Mukti Jote, from the same constituency, alleging dual citizenship. The appellant submitted information related to US citizenship along with copies of Bhuiyan’s foreign passport. The returning officer present at the hearing also testified that Bhuiyan himself had admitted to holding foreign citizenship.
In addition, the EC cancelled the nomination of BNP candidate Sarwar Alamgir in Chattogram-2 on the final day of hearings, following an appeal filed by Jamaat-nominated candidate Md Nurul Amin on grounds of loan default.
Meanwhile, EC has kept its decision pending on the application seeking cancellation of the nomination of BNP candidate Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad in Cumilla-3. After a lengthy hearing on allegations of dual citizenship, EC’s appeal board said it would announce today, January 18, whether Kaikobad’s candidacy would be upheld. Earlier, Jamaat-e-Islami nominee Md Yusuf Hakim Sohel in the same constituency had filed an appeal against the returning officer’s decision, alleging that Kaikobad holds Turkish citizenship.
Following the final day of appeal hearings, the Election Commission (EC) upheld the validity of the nominations of BNP candidate Mohammad Aslam Chowdhury in Chattogram-4 and BNP candidate Abdul Awal Mintoo in Feni-3, despite multiple allegations of loan default against them.
Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami nominee Barrister Mahbubul Alam Salehi regained his candidacy in Kurigram-3 (Ulipur). Earlier, the district returning officer had cancelled his nomination on the grounds of dual citizenship. On the same grounds, the nomination of Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Dr. AKM Fazlul Haque in Chattogram-9 (Kotwali–Baklia) was also cancelled by the returning officer. Dr. Fazlul Haque appealed to the EC, but his appeal was subsequently rejected.
On the other hand, most Jamaat-e-Islami candidates who appealed against returning officers’ decisions had their nominations declared valid. Notable among them are Colonel (retd.) Abdul Haque in Dhaka-2 and Md Yusuf Hakim Sohel in Cumilla-3, whose nominations were initially rejected by returning officers but were restored following appeal hearings, allowing them to contest the election.
In addition, EC reinstated the candidacy of several influential Jamaat nominees whose nominations had been cancelled earlier. These include AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad, central assistant secretary general of Jamaat-e-Islami, in Cox’s Bazar-2; Dr. Mosleh Uddin in Jashore-2; and Majedur Rahman Majed in Gaibandha-1.
Candidates whose nominations were cancelled at the appeal stage may now move to the High Court in an attempt to regain eligibility. However, under the provisions of the Representation of the People Order (RPO), the EC’s decision on nomination matters is treated as the final administrative decision. Any candidate has the right to seek judicial review after rejection of a nomination or dismissal of an appeal. Manjurul Ahsan Munshi has already announced on social media his intention to approach the High Court. Even so, a verdict may not be delivered within the election schedule. Courts generally refrain from intervening in EC decisions unless there is clear evidence that the commission acted beyond its jurisdiction or committed a grave injustice against an individual.
So far, the total number of valid candidates stands at 2,253. Candidates have until January 20 to withdraw their nominations. Returning officers will publish the final list of candidates and allocate electoral symbols on January 21. Election campaigning will begin on January 22 and continue until 7:30 a.m. on February 10. Voting is scheduled to take place on February 12.
The final day of appeal hearings also saw notable legal and administrative drama involving candidates from Islami Andolon Bangladesh (IAB), Jatiyo Party, and independent contenders. Over the past nine days, the Election Commission (EC) took several significant decisions on the validity of nominations filed by these parties and candidates during the appeal process. At the preliminary scrutiny stage, the nomination papers of most Islami Andolon Bangladesh candidates were rejected mainly due to signature-related discrepancies. Allegations centred on inconsistencies between the signatures on nomination papers and those on the submitted affidavits. In response, the party’s central joint secretary general, Maulana Sheikh Fazlay Bari Masud, accused the authorities of suspending their candidates’ nominations through an “overuse of the law”. Subsequently, after fresh affidavits and written explanations were submitted, EC restored the validity of most of the nominations. With several candidates regaining eligibility on appeal, Islami Andolon Bangladesh is now able to contest in nearly all constituencies.
A large number of independent candidates were initially excluded for failing to submit endorsement forms signed by at least 1 percent of voters, or for providing incorrect information. However, the EC adopted an unusually flexible approach during the appeal hearings. It verified signatures through a random sampling method, calling a small number of individuals from each candidate’s submitted list. Candidates whose supporters could be reached and confirmed by phone were granted validity. Through this process, at least 50 independent candidates regained their candidacy on appeal, ensuring their participation in the election.
Among Jatiyo Party nominees, the rate of nomination cancellation was comparatively low. Most of those whose nominations were initially rejected succeeded in having them reinstated on appeal, allowing the party to enter the election largely at full strength.
A total of 51 candidates, including independent contender Tasnim Jara in Dhaka-9, regained their candidacy. Meanwhile, following an application by BNP’s MA Hannan in Brahmanbaria-1, the EC cancelled the nomination of independent candidate SAK Ekramuzzaman in the same constituency. Among those who regained eligibility is Mahmudur Rahman Manna, president of Nagorik Oikya, in Bogura-2. Although his nomination in Dhaka-18 was initially declared valid, the returning officer had earlier cancelled his nomination in Bogura-2 (Shibganj). In Magura-1, Gono Forum general secretary Mizanur Rahman also had his candidacy restored. In addition, candidates from several other parties regained eligibility on appeal, including eight from Khelafat Majlis, seven from the Jatiyo Party, two from Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, and two from Islami Andolon Bangladesh.