The nomination of Krishak Sramik Janata League (KSJL) President Abdul Kader Siddiqui Bir Uttam and his wife Nasrin Kader Siddiqui for Tangail 4 (Kalihati) by-poll has been cancelled over loan default.
The Election Commission scrapped their nomination for the November 10 by-poll after the Credit Information Bureau of Bangladesh Bank informed it of the defaulted loan, sources told the Dhaka Tribune. “They [Kader and Nasrin] have a loan worth Tk10.88 crore in Agrani Bank Ltd in the name of their organisation Shonar Bangla Engineering Organisation,” said Md Alimuzzaman, returning officer in the by-poll. “They defaulted the loan payment, that is why their nomination has been cancelled.”
“Kader Siddiqui and Nasrin Siddiqui’s nomination papers have been cancelled to make the way smoother for the ruling party candidates,” said Rafiqul Islam, general secretary of the party’s Tangail unit. “We condemn this action of the Election Commission.”
In protest of their leaders’ candidacy getting cancelled, the KSJL activists announced to observe dawn-to-dusk hartal in Tangail today, but later cancelled it following a request of Kader Siddiqui himself, UNB reported.
The Election Commission cancelled the nomination of two other candidates for the by-poll, sources said.