EC starts appeals disposal today

At least 30 aspirants appealed with the Election Commission challenging the returning officers' decision accepting the nomination bid of their opponents.

Ten of them are Awami League aspirants, who challenged the candidature of their party colleagues.

Seven of these 10 are AL's alternative candidates, who raised objections to the candidacy of their party picks, while three AL picks filed appeals against their fellow party rivals vying as independents.

Separately, a bank challenged the candidacy of Khadizatul Anwar, Awami League aspirant from Chattogram-2.

The Election Commission starts disposing of the appeals today, which will be completed by December 15, EC Secretary Jahangir Alam said.

In all, the EC received 731 appeals – 701 against the returning officers' rejection and 30 against acceptance of the nomination papers.

In the last election, 786 nominations were cancelled by the ROs, and 546 aspirants challenged the decision. After appeals hearing, 245 were allowed to run, EC sources said.

EC documents show Barishal-5 aspirant Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah, former AL mayor of Barishal city, appealed against the AL nominee Zahid, also water resources state minister. Sadiq alleged Zahid concealed case information in the affidavits.

On the other hand, a man named KBS Ahmed, who seconded the nomination paper of Zahid Faruk, filed an appeal against Sadiq, saying the latter concealed information in his affidavits.

AL nominee for Barishal-4 Shammi Ahmed, whose candidature was cancelled over dual citizenship, challenged the candidacy of Pangkaj Nath, the incumbent AL MP and independent candidate, citing unreported wealth information.

In Noakhali-4, senior vice-president of district AL and independent candidate Shihab Uddin Shahin, appealed against the candidacy of AL nominee Ekramul Karim Chowdhury.

In Cumilla-5, local AL leader and independent candidate Sajjad Hossain challenged the RO's decision accepting the candidacy of AL pick Abul Hashem Khan.

Member of AL central sub-committee on liberation war affairs and independent candidate Moniruzzaman Monir appealed against the AL-nominated aspirant Shahjahan Omar over concealed case information. Omar, also a former BNP leader, got the AL ticket soon after he came out of jail.

In Mymensingh-4, AL MP Anwarul Abedin Khan, who failed to get the party ticket, appealed against AL-pick Abdus Salam's candidacy.

In Tangail-2, AL independent Younus Islam Talukder appealed against his party nominee Choto Monir.

Incumbent AL MP from Jossore-4 Ranajit Kumar Roy challenged the bid of AL pick Enamul Haque Babul, saying he is a loan defaulter. Bangladesh Nationalist Movement aspirant from Jossore-4 Sukriti Kumar Mandol filed the same appeal.

In Chattogram-9, Jatiya Party nominee Sanjid Rashid Chowdhury appealed against the candidacy of Deputy Minister of Education Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury.

JSD leader and aspirant from Netrokona-4 Mushfiqur Rahman challenged the candidacy of AL nominee and former senior secretary Sajjadul Hasan, saying Sajjad did not complete his three-year tenure after his retirement.

Businessman AK Azad, an independent candidate from Faridpur-3, challenged the candidacy of AL nominee Shamim Haq over dual citizenship.

Shamim also filed an appeal challenging the candidature of Azad.

AL nominee for Kishoreganj-3 Nasirul Islam Khan challenged the candidacy of Jatiya Party leader Mujibul Haque Chunnu over defaulted loan.

Nasirul's candidacy was cancelled over concealment of case information, and he filed a separate appeal against that decision.

Nazrul Islam, an aspirant from Patuakhali 1, challenged the candidacy of Jatiya Party leader Ruhul Amin Hawlader over delayed submission of his tax return.