Dual citizenship: Cumilla-10 BNP candidate Gafur loses candidacy

BNP candidate for the Cumilla-10 constituency, Abdul Gafur Bhuiyan, has lost his candidacy following the hearing of an appeal petition against his nomination.

The Election Commission (EC) rejected his nomination on grounds of dual citizenship, accepting an appeal petition filed by Sanskrit Muktijote candidate Kazi Nurse Alam Siddique in the same constituency.

The Commission, chaired by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, heard the petition and passed the order on Sunday afternoon, January 18.

The petitioner alleged that Gafur Bhuiyan is a US citizen and holds an American passport.

However, Gafur Bhuiyan or anyone on his behalf was not present at the hearing.

Earlier, the returning officer accepted his nomination, declaring him a valid candidate in the upcoming national election scheduled for February 12 next.

The EC, as the Electoral Appeal Tribunal, on January 10 began hearing and disposing of the appeal petitions filed by aggrieved persons against the decisions of the returning officers over acceptance and cancellation of nomination papers.

The Commission will settle all 645 appeals by today (Sunday).

Source: UNB