Appellate Division bars Aslam Chowdhury to take oath as MP

The Appellate Division has ruled that BNP’s Aslam Chowdhury, who won the Chattogram-4 constituency in the 13th National Parliament election due to loan default, will not be able to take oath. 

The Appellate Division led by Chief Justice Zubair Rahman Chowdhury gave the verdict on Tuesday. 

Consequently, his election results cannot be published.

Attorney General Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kazal confirmed the matter. After the verdict, he told reporters that a new election may be held in the Chattogram -4 constituency. 

Lawyer Shishir Monir, representing the Jamaat candidate, said that the verdict has proven that no one can become an MP in the future if they are in debt. This verdict will be a milestone.

Earlier, after the hearing on June 15, the Appellate Division had set June 30 as the date for the verdict. 

Senior lawyer Mohammad Shishir Monir and Barrister ASM Shahriar Kabir were in favour of the Jamaat-e-Islami candidate in the court today. 

Senior lawyer Miftah Uddin Chowdhury and Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon MP were in favour of Aslam Chowdhury.

The appeal hearing of the nomination paper of Aslam Chowdhury, who was accused of debt default, was declared valid at the Election Commission on January 18 this year. 

The High Court dismissed the writ filed by the bank challenging that decision. Later, the bank authorities appealed to the Appellate Division.

Jamaat candidate Md. Anwar Siddiqui filed a leave to appeal against the High Court order. On February 3, the Appellate Division granted leave to appeal against the confirmation of Aslam Chowdhury’s candidacy. As a result, Aslam Chowdhury got the opportunity to vote. But the announcement of the results will be postponed until the appeal is resolved and it will not be published.

Then, on February 12, Aslam Chowdhury won the National Assembly elections but the results were not published due to the court order.