ছবি: ফাইল ছবি
In Bangladesh’s Chattogram-9 constituency, physician and Islamist-leaning political figure A.K.M. Fazlul Haque failed to recover his candidacy during the Election Commission’s appeal hearing, prompting him to allege discrimination and unequal scrutiny over dual citizenship regulations that ultimately upheld the Returning Officer’s earlier rejection. As Haque was unable to provide the required documentation proving the renunciation of his U.S. citizenship, the Commission reaffirmed the disqualification, triggering broader debate over the stringency and consistency of the rules applied to candidates with foreign citizenship background. Speaking to reporters, Haque argued that several opposition candidates from the BNP had been allowed to retain their candidacy despite incomplete paperwork, asserting that he would now explore legal recourse through the courts. Monday’s session, chaired by Chief Election Commissioner M.M. Nasir Uddin on the third day of appeals, has renewed attention on the Commission’s vetting process, intra-party strategies, and the evolving political stakes of participation in the upcoming national polls, particularly as dual citizenship eligibility becomes a focal point in electoral fairness and national interest considerations.
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