The Election Commission reinstated the candidacy of July uprising frontliner Hasnat Abdullah, along with 44 others, after the eighth day of hearings, which was punctuated by heated altercations.
Tension and turmoil broke out at the EC auditorium yesterday during the appeal hearing against the validation of Afroza Khanam’s nomination in Manikganj-3 constituency over dual citizenship.
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Earlier, the EC sought explanations from the lawyers concerned. Afterwards, the commission, led by the chief election commissioner, adjourned proceedings for half an hour.
As soon as the commissioners left the stage, lawyers representing both sides of the appeal gathered in front of the dais and engaged in heated arguments.
Also present was BNP vice-chairman and Feni-3 candidate Abdul Awal Mintoo, whose nomination appeal over dual citizenship was scheduled for that day.
On the opposite side of the auditorium, Hasnat, who is an aspirant from Cumilla 4 under the National Citizen Party’s banner, objected to Mintoo’s outburst, intensifying the confrontation.
Lawyers eventually escorted Mintoo from the hall, while his son, Tabith Awal, engaged in discussion with Hasnat. Law enforcement later intervened to restore order.
Following the break, during the Cumilla 4 appeal hearing, Hasnat told the EC that Mintoo had hurled abusive remarks, calling them a “bloody citizen” and even attempted to use force. He urged the EC to deliver a ruling on the incident.
In Cumilla-4 constituency, the EC cancelled the nomination of BNP candidate Manjurul Ahsan Munshi while it upheld the candidacy of NCP’s Hasnat following two separate hearings against nomination cancellation decisions by the returning officers.
Munshi lost his candidacy after the EC accepted Hasnat’s appeal, which alleged that the BNP candidate was a loan defaulter and had concealed loan information.
Earlier, the returning officer of Cumilla-4 had declared Munshi’s nomination valid after scrutiny. In response, Hasnat challenged the decision.
Munshi also filed a counter-appeal against Hasnat’s nomination, claiming his affidavit lacked income and expenditure details. The EC, however, rejected Munshi’s appeal and upheld Hasnat’s candidacy.
After the eighth day of hearings, a total of 398 aspirants regained their candidacy.
On the eighth day of hearings, the EC heard a total of 112 appeals and declared 45 valid.
It rejected 37 appeals as invalid: 13 were rejected against the cancellation of nomination papers and 24 were rejected against the acceptance of nomination papers.
During the hearing, nine appeals were withdrawn, while two appellants were absent. The EC also kept 19 appeals pending.
On the seventh day of hearings on Friday, Sherpur 2 voter Yazdayin — who sought cancellation of BNP candidate Mohammad Fahim Chowdhury’s nomination — was assaulted inside the EC premises in front of police and dragged onto the street.
Asked about the altercation among candidates and supporters in front of the EC, Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Masud said: “This was certainly undesirable and unexpected — we have expressed our dissatisfaction.”
Anyone aggrieved may lodge a petition with the Electoral Inquiry Committee or the EC, he said.
Hearings on appeals against the returning officers’ decisions on nomination conclude today. Hearing is scheduled to begin at 10:00am, led by the CEC and four commissioners.
The deadline for candidates to withdraw from the electoral race is tomorrow.
On Tuesday, the EC will distribute electoral symbols to the final candidates and the electoral campaign is set to begin on Wednesday.
On January 10, the EC began appeal hearings against nomination cancellations or validations. The hearings will end today.
Earlier, a total of 2,568 aspirants submitted nomination papers to contest the 13th national election from the country’s 300 constituencies by the December 29 deadline.
Later, a total of 645 appeals were filed between January 5 and 9 during the scrutiny of nomination papers.
On January 4, the EC declared the nomination papers of 1,842 candidates valid and 723 others invalid.