United News of Bangladesh

The Election Commission on Monday (January 12, 2026) allowed 41 previously rejected aspirants to contest the February-12 national election after hearings, while a Jamaat candidate for Chattogram-9 was declared invalid and a BNP aspirant for Sherpur-2 was kept pending. But the EC as the Electoral Appeal Tribunal turned down the appeal petitions of 24 other aspirants, including Jamaat-e-Islami aspirant Dr AKM Fazlul Haque (Chattogram-9), while the petition of BNP aspirant Mohammad Fahim Chowdhury (Sherpur-2) was kept pending to be settled later. The Election Commission, chaired by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, heard the appeal petitions at Nirbachan Bhaban in the city on Monday. “The Commission granted 41 petitions, rejected 24 others, kept four petitions pending to be settled later, " said EC Director (PR) Ruhul Amin Mollik. Bangladesh Election: EU Chief Observer clarifies ‘inclusive, participatory’ meaning Besides, one petition filed by aspirant of Pabna-2 was postponed as the election to the constituency remains suspended and another petition filed by independent aspirant Shakila Farzana (Chattogram-5) was not pressed for hearing, while the petition of independent aspirant Shakila Farzana (Chattogram-5) was not pressed for hearing. With the 41 aspirants who got green lights on Monday, a total of 150 aspirants returned to the electoral race since the EC on Saturday started hearing the appeal petitions filed by aggrieved aspirants against the decisions of the returning officers over the acceptance and cancellation of nomination papers during the scrutiny. During the appeal hearing, one independent candidate SAK Ekramuzzaman lost his candidacy following an appeal filed by his rival in Brahmanbaria-1 constituency. Besides, 46 other invalid aspirants failed to return to the race as the EC rejected their appeal petitions in the three days. On Monday, the EC rejected the petition of Jamaat’s aspirant Dr AKM Fazlul Haque (Chattogram-9) on dual citizenship. With the decision, there is no Jamaat nominated candidate to run in the election from Chattogram-9 constituency. The Commission kept the petition of BNP aspirant Mohammad Fahim Chowdhury (Sherpur-2) pending to be settled on January 16. Saturday’s EC hearing brings 51 candidates back into election race In the constituency, two BNP aspirants – Mohammad Fahim Chowdhury and Md Elius Khan—submitted nomination papers, but both nomination papers were declared invalid by the returning officer during the scrutiny. In Sherpur-2, there are now two valid candidates – Jamaat’s Golam Kibria and Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s Abdullah Al Kayes. The 41 aspirants who returned to the race on Monday include three Jatiya Party aspirants Mohammad Mamunur Rashid (Tangail-6), AKM Fazlul Haque (Jamalpur-1) and Abdur Rashid (Satkhira-4), four AB Party aspirants Abdul Baset (Rangpur-5), Kefayet Hossain (Lakshmipur-2), Abdur Rahman (Chattogram-7) and Muhammad Rafiqul Islam (Manikganj-3), NCP aspirant Sohel Rana (Meherpur-1). The rejected 24 aspirants include Jatiya Party nominated Mohammad Jahangir Alam (Sunamganj-5) and SM Abdul Mannan (Manikganj-2). The EC will hear and dispose of a total of 645 petitions by January 18, which were filed by aggrieved aspirants, challenging the decisions of the returning officers over the acceptance or cancellation of nomination papers. This time a majority of aspirants who challenged the rejection of their nomination papers have regained eligibility to contest the 13th parliamentary election, as the EC adopted a lenient approach towards minor errors and unintentional mistakes found in nomination documents and affidavits. A total of 2,568 aspirants submitted nomination papers to run the upcoming national election from the country’s 300 constituencies within the December-29 deadline. EC suspends Pabna-1, Pabna-2 elections until further court order The 69 returning officers- – two divisional commissioners (Dhaka and Chattogram), 64 district deputy commissioners and three regional election officers (Dhaka, Chattogram and Khulna)— declared 1,842 nomination papers valid, while 723 others invalid during the scrutiny from December 30 to January 04. Since BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia passed away, her three nomination papers submitted for three constituencies were not scrutinized. The Election Commission on December 11 announced the polls schedule to arrange the 13th parliamentary election and the referendum on the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order simultaneously on February 12, 2026. According to the schedule, the late date for withdrawal of candidature is January 20. The election campaign will start on January 22 and continue till (7:30am on February 10) 48 hours before the balloting period.