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Published : 04 Jan 2026, 02:14 AM
Mahmudur Rahman Manna has been cleared to contest the Dhaka-18 seat despite being barred from the Bogura-2 constituency, a contrasting decision that has raised questions about how nomination papers are being assessed ahead of the parliamentary election.
The different outcomes for the president of Nagorik Oikko, a long-time ally of the BNP-led alliance, have drawn public attention, as one seat rejects his candidacy while another validates it.
Election expert and former additional secretary of the Election Commission (EC) Jesmin Tuli says it is normal for a candidate to be valid in one constituency and invalid in another.
According to her, such differences can arise for several reasons and fall within the returning officer’s discretion.
Manna has alleged that nominations of eligible candidates are being cancelled through “pressure and mob tactics”.
He made the claim on Saturday evening while speaking to reporters after leaving the returning officer’s office in Segunbagicha in the capital.
He said he had stood in elections three or four times before but had never faced such a difficult process.
The veteran leader thanked the EC officials who had declared him eligible elsewhere, adding that a credible election depends on officials carrying out their duties properly so the process remains broadly acceptable to all.
Manna also complained of attempts to influence the commission, warning that elections lose credibility if pressure tactics or mobs are used. He said such practices undermine the sacrifices made during past movements.
Earlier, his path to the polls had been blocked over his inclusion on the Credit Information Bureau’s list of loan defaulters. His petition to the High Court seeking removal from the list was rejected, though he later received relief from the chamber court.
Returning Officer and Dhaka Divisional Commissioner Sharf Uddin Ahmed Choudhury said Manna’s papers had initially been held due to inconsistencies in his affidavit and tax return. After submission of corrected documents, verification confirmed him as a valid candidate.
Bogura-2 Returning Officer and Deputy Commissioner Toufiqur Rahman, meanwhile, cancelled Manna’s nomination, citing three issues: the affidavit required signatures from both the candidate and lawyer on the same day, but Manna signed a day after his lawyer; documents for cases he claimed acquittal in were missing; and there were errors in his asset declaration.
Asked why his Dhaka-18 nomination was valid despite the Bogura-2 cancellation, Toufiqur told bdnews24.com that Manna had submitted a separate affidavit for Dhaka-18 and could not be said to have used the same document for both seats.
Tuli explained that returning officers operate a semi-judicial process. What one officer may reject, another may accept.
She noted that Manna could appeal the Bogura-2 decision while anyone dissatisfied with his Dhaka-18 validation could challenge it through proper channels.
On the affidavit process, she said: “An affidavit is a written declaration made under oath to verify the truth of a statement. It is usually signed before a notary public or first-class magistrate.”
