Hasnat Abdullah’s Rival Loses Appeal; Monjurul Ahsan Munshi’s Candidacy Revoked
The court dismissed his leave-to-appeal regarding loan default charges, effectively ending his legal options to contest the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election.
A full bench of the Appellate Division, led by Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury, passed the order on Sunday, February 1. This follows a previous High Court ruling on January 21, which had also summarily rejected his writ petition on the same grounds.
According to case details, Hasnat Abdullah—the 11-party alliance candidate and Chief Organizer (South) of the National Citizen Party (NCP)—had filed a complaint with the Election Commission (EC) alleging that Munshi was a loan defaulter. Based on that complaint, the EC canceled Munshi’s nomination on January 17. Although the BNP candidate challenged the decision in higher courts, he remained unsuccessful at every legal stage.
Political analysts suggest that the final disqualification of Monjurul Ahsan Munshi, a former Member of Parliament and a primary heavyweight rival, significantly clears the path for Hasnat Abdullah in the Cumilla-4 seat. Conversely, the BNP faces a major setback in the constituency without its strongest contender.
The 13th National Parliamentary Election is scheduled for February 12. With Munshi officially out of the race, local BNP activists have expressed deep frustration over the lack of a formidable alternative for the 'Sheaf of Paddy' symbol in this seat.
