Staff Reporter:
Much-talked about candidate in the Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) mayoral election Md Jahangir Alam has announced to go to High Court to get his candidature back.
Hearing on appeal of suspended mayoral candidate Jahangir Alam against the cancellation of his nomination paper was held at the Divisional Election Commissioner’s office on Thursday afternoon. Following the hearing, Dhaka divisional commissioner Md Sabirul Islam rejected the appeal upholding the Returning Officer’s decsion.
In a reaction, Jahangir Alam on Thursday evening said he would go to the High Court to seek justice at the country’s highest seat of judiciary.
Jahangir said, “High Court issued a stay order on the matter but they (Dhaka divisional commissioner) didn’t take it into account. I didn’t get justice. I’ll go to the highest seat of judiciary to seek justice. I’ll go to the High Court on Sunday.”
GCC election’s returning officer’s representative Manzur Hossain Khan said a total of seven candidates whose nomination papers were cancelled during the scrutiny on Tuesday had appealed against the cancellation. They were — GCC mayoral candidate Jahangir Alam, a councillor candidate from reserved post and five general ward councilor candidates.
He said Jahangir Alam along with his two lawyers were present during the hearing. In the hearing, they said they had already deposited money for rescheduling the loans. They also pointed out that a guarantor of a bank loan can never be called a defaulter. So, Jahangir Alam was not the loan defaulter.
At that time, a Bangladesh Bank official present at the hearing said the appellants are still ‘loan defaulters’ according to the law of the central bank.
He said that the loan of the bank concerned for which Jahangir Alam acted as a guarantor has not been rescheduled yet.
At that time, the an EC offcial said Jahangir Alam and other candidates were loan defulters during the submission of nomination papers. “So, they will remain so despite they pay money for loan rescheduling.”
Hearing the statements of both sides, Dhaka divisional commissioner Md Sabirul Islam upheld the orders of cancellation of nomination papers of seven candidates including Jahangir Alam.
On April 30, GCC election returning officer Faridul Islam cancelled Jahangir Alam’s nomination paper over loan default.
“Jahangir Alam is a defaulter; so the EC is cancelling his candidature. His mother and independent candidate Zayeda Khatun is cleared to run for office,” Faridul Islam said.
Earlier, Jahangir Alam sought nomination from the ruling Awami League but failed to get the party ticket. He later submitted nomination paper to vie in the election as an independent candidate.
The ruling party nominated Gazipur city AL president Azmat Ullah Khan as their mayoral candidate. He is Gazipur City Awami League president.
Jahangir Alam was elected as mayor in the previous election of GCC. But, he was expelled in November 2021 for his remarks against Bangabandhu and his party. Then he lost his mayoral post. However, his expulsion order was withdrawn in January this year on condition that he would follow the party disciplines.
