The returning officer has rejected the candidacies of all the aspirants for the upcoming Kishoreganj 1 re-election, expect that of the Awami League candidate, Dr Syeda Zakia Nur Lipi.
Returning Officer and Kishoreganj Deputy Commissioner (DC) Md Sarwar Morshed Chowdhury made the announcement at his office on Sunday.
At that time, Additional DC (General) Tarafdar Md Akhter Jamil, Kishoreganj circle Additional Superintendent of Police Masud Anwar, District Election Officer Tajul Islam, and Jatiya Party (JaPa) candidate Mostaeen Billah were also present.
Dr Zakia is the daughter of Syed Nazrul Islam, the acting president of Bangladesh during the Liberation War, and the sister of late Awami League leader Syed Ashraful Islam.
The returning officer said: “None of the three candidates have any cases filed against them, nor are they loan defaulters.”
“There is a discrepancy in the JaPa candidate’s educational qualification in the information he submitted to us, and for that, his candidacy has been cancelled. On the other hand, Ganatantri Party candidate Advocate Bhupendra Chandra Bhowmik Dolon’s signature and fingerprint were missing in the nomination form he submitted, so his candidacy was revoked as well,” the DC said.
However, the candidates can appeal to the Election Commission within three days.
Election symbols will be allocated on February 10 and the re-election will take place on February 28.
The seat fell vacant after the elected MP and former Awami League general secretary Ashraful Islam passed away from lung cancer on January 3 in a Bangkok hospital.
Even though he was absent before and during the 11th general election, held on December 30, Ashraful had emerged the winner from Kishoreganj 1. He was also elected MP from the seat in the last four general elections _ in 1996, 2001, 2008 and 2014.
