SC bars BNP’s Cumilla-4 candidate from polls

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has dismissed the leave-to-appeal petition of BNP-nominated candidate Manjurul Ahsan Munshi in the Cumilla-4 constituency.

The dismissal means he will not be able to participate in the election. Munshi was the main rival of Hasnat Abdullah, the candidate of the Jatiya Nagarik Party (JNP), in the constituency.

A full bench of the Appellate Division, led by Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury, turned down Munshi’s petition.

Earlier, on 21 January, the High Court had upheld the Election Commission’s decision to cancel Munshi’s nomination over loan default charges. Following that, he approached the Appellate Division.

The Election Commission had canceled Munshi’s nomination for Cumilla-4 on 17 January, citing allegations of loan default. The complaint seeking the cancellation was filed by his opponent, Hasnat Abdullah.