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The Election Commission on Saturday completed the scrutiny of nomination papers for the 13th parliamentary election, clearing a slate of high-profile political figures and setting the stage for a fiercely contested vote amid heightened political stakes.
Among those whose candidacies were declared valid yesterday are BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman, Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman, National Citizen Party (NCP) convener Nahid Islam and Khelafat Majlish leader Maulana Mamunul Haque, according to decisions announced by returning officers following scrutiny sessions held on Saturday.
The verification of 238 nomination papers was conducted at the Election Training Institute (ETI) in Agargaon and at divisional commissioner offices across the country.
Officials said most papers were accepted, though several were rejected over technical and legal deficiencies.
Tarique Rahman’s nominations for Dhaka-17 and Bogura-6 were both cleared after detailed verification of voter registration records and supporting legal documents.
In Bogura-6, returning authorities confirmed that two nominations were found valid, while three were rejected.
Jamaat-e-Islami candidate SM Khaliduzzaman was also cleared for the constituency.
In Dhaka, Saraf Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury, the returning officer overseeing 13 constituencies, said scrutiny was completed at the Dhaka Divisional Commissioner’s office in Segunbagicha.
He confirmed that Dr Shafiqur Rahman’s nomination papers were in order, paving the way for his participation in the February 12 polls.
BNP candidate Shafiqul Islam Khan Milton was also cleared for the same seat, while CPB candidate
Ahammad Sazedul Huq Rubel was rejected.
Returning officer Md Eunus Ali said nominations from Jamaat, BNP, Bangladesh Jasad, Janata Dal and Gono Forum candidates were approved as all documentation was complete and no formal objections were raised.
However, nominations from Bangladesh Supreme Party candidate Mobarak Hossain and independent hopeful Tanzil Islam were rejected due to irregularities in party endorsements.
Nahid Islam, convener of the National Citizen Party and a key figure in the 11-party alliance including Jamaat, was cleared to contest Dhaka-11, covering Rampura, Badda and Bhatara. BNP’s Dr MA Qayyum also received clearance for the same constituency.
The NCP said nominations of its joint convener Jabed Rasin (Dhaka-9) and chief coordinator Nasiruddin Patwari (Dhaka-8) were similarly validated.
In Dhaka-13, six of the 11 aspirants, including Maulana Mamunul Haque and BNP’s Bobby Hajjaj, were declared eligible, while five nominations were rejected.
Former NCP joint member secretary Dr Tasnim Jara saw her independent bid for Dhaka-9 rejected after officials found that two of her proposers were not registered voters in the constituency.
According to Election Commission data, 174 candidates submitted nomination papers across 13 Dhaka constituencies. Of these, 119 were declared valid, 54 rejected and one suspended. Dhaka-5 recorded the highest number of valid candidates, while Dhaka-6 and Dhaka-4 had the fewest.
The commission said rejections were largely due to signature mismatches and incomplete financial disclosures. Aggrieved candidates may appeal between 5 and 9 January, with hearings scheduled from 10 to 18 January.
The final list of candidates and symbols will be published on 21 January, with campaigning beginning the following day.
The 13th parliamentary election is scheduled for 12 February 2026, alongside a referendum on the July National Charter – a vote widely seen as a defining moment for Bangladesh’s political future.
The reporter can be reached at: Email: [email protected]
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