Jatiya Party chairman HM Ershad on Wednesday made phone calls to several
party candidates asking them to withdraw their nomination papers
submitted earlier for 10th parliamentary elections, sources close to
Ershad said.
According to Election Commission schedule, withdrawal of nomination
papers started on December 7 and December 13 is the cut off date.
In contrast, the returning officer (RO) for Dhaka district on Wednesday
returned Ershad’s form for withdrawal of nomination filed from Dhaka-17
constituency for mistakenly writing wrong dates.
Ershad’s withdrawal form was rejected as the JP chief mentioned December
5 instead of December 11 in his nomination withdrawal form, Zillar
Rahman, Dhaka district returning officer told newsmen.
Ershad submitted nomination papers for three constituencies—Lalmonirhat 1, Rangpur 3 and Dhaka 17—while about 260
candidates from his party submitted nomination papers for contesting the polls.
Withdrawal of nomination papers of all the JP candidates started in
line with JP chief’s December 3 announcement to boycott the polls
because of absence of ‘favourable environment’ and for being ‘non
inclusive’ one.
‘Yes, my party chief made a phone call. He told me to withdraw
nomination papers by December 13,’ Md Mujibul Hoque, a JP candidate from
Kishroreganj-3 constituency told New Age on Wednesday. ‘Of course, I
will carry out my boss’s directive,’ said Mujibul who has also submitted
resignation letter from the position of state minister for sports in
line with Ershad’s directive.
‘Yes, I received phone call from my boss. He asked me to withdraw
nomination paper,’ JP candidate from Thankargain-3 constituency
Hafizuddin Ahmed said.
Lawmaker Golam Kibria Tipu from Barisal-3 constituency and Delwar
Hossain Khan from Dhaka-9 also confirmed to New Age about receiving the
call from party chairman.
Mujibul Hoque also told New Age that JP candidates in different
constituencies have been facing difficulties as they went to submit
application to RO for withdrawal of nomination papers.
Khaled Akhter, personal secretary to Ershad, told New Age that JP
chief’s representatives, who submitted the withdrwal form on behalf of
the JP chief, faced non-cooperation from the RO.
Khaled said that a fresh copy of application for withdrawal of
nomination paper for Dhaka 17 constituency will be submitted on
Thursday.
Earlier, Ershad sought withdrawal of his nomination filed from the Rangpur-1 parliamentary constituency.
Farid Ahmed, returning officer of Rangpur, said local JP leader Mashiur
Rahman Ranga, on behalf of Ershad, handed over an application to the
officer in this regard.
New Age Lalmonirhat correspondent reported that Jatiya Party presidium
member Mashiur Rahman Ranga on behalf of HM Ershad submitted application
to Lalmonirhat district election officer Fazlul Karim to withdraw the
candidature of Ershad for Lalmonirhat 1 constituency.
GM Quader’s nomination paper for Lalmonirhat-3 constituency was submitted on December 2. The application was received by RO.
New Age correspondent from Khulna said six JP candidates from Khulna
district on Wednesday submitted applications to the RO to withdraw their
candidature.
They are Sunil Shuvo Roy of Khulna–1, Abdul Gaffar Biswas of Khulna–2,
Shafiqul Islam Madhu of Khulna–3, Mallick Hadiuzzman of Khulna–4, Jahor
Ali of Khulna–5 and Mostafa Kamal Jahangir of Khulna–6.
Khulna RO Anis Mahmud admitted that he had already received the applications. (source)