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Published : 19 Jan 2026, 08:31 PM
National Citizen Party (NCP) Convenor Nahid Islam has alleged that the Election Commission (EC) has failed to take a clear legal stand on the issue of candidates holding dual citizenship, bowing to pressure from the BNP’s “mob”.
Claiming that the environment needed for an election is “absent”, he also said both the EC and the field administration are not acting impartially.
Nahid made the remarks at a briefing on Monday, saying the NCP raised these concerns in a meeting with Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna.
He also threatened to move the court against the EC’s ruling on the dual citizenship of some candidates.
Nahid said, “The Election Commission has not taken a clear stand on those who have dual citizenship and those who are accused of it.
“Instead, it has tried to use the loopholes in the law and misinterpret the Constitution to allow them to vote.
“They clearly acted under pressure from the BNP. The party and its student wing created a mob outside the Election Commission, and senior BNP leaders went to the EC and held discussions before the verdict was delivered, which influenced the decision.”
He said, “In the meeting with the chief advisor, we mentioned the events that have taken place in the past few days, especially the ones that question the elections and contemporary politics.
“The interim government has repeatedly said it wants to hold the best election in history and is seeking to earn public trust, but we’re not seeing the kind of environment required for such an election, nor are we seeing the EC and the field administration acting with the necessary impartiality.
“If the election is not fair and impartial, the responsibility will lie with the interim government and Yunus.
“We have conveyed our concerns to him and have repeatedly raised these issues with the Election Commission. We hope they will take necessary actions accordingly.”
Questioning the EC’s decision on dual citizenship, he said: “The EC cannot interpret the Constitution; only the Supreme Court can do that.
“The Constitution clearly says those holding dual citizenship are not eligible to contest elections, and the Supreme Court has also clarified what constitutes giving up such citizenship.
“Yet the EC offered a new interpretation [Sunday], which it has no authority to do.
“This was done to allow BNP candidates, or other candidates with dual citizenship, to contest in the polls.”
Warning of legal action against the EC verdict, Nahid said they had clearly informed the chief advisor that there are many dual citizens in the BNP and Jamaat, and possibly in other parties as well.
He said party affiliation was not the issue, the law must be applied fairly and equally to all candidates and parties.
Nahid further added that loan defaulters should not be allowed to contest in elections without clearing their dues, noting that an election commissioner had admitted granting such candidates an opportunity to run despite reservations.
He alleged that the EC had deviated from the law and rules by offering a flawed interpretation that allowed such candidates to run, under pressure from a political party, thereby putting their credibility into question.
He said they would challenge these issues in court.
