BNP candidate Mobashwer gets party symbol despite not receiving nomination

BNP candidate Mobashwer Alam Bhuiyan has been allocated the sheaf of paddy symbol in the 13th national parliamentary election for the Cumilla-10 constituency, despite not initially receiving party nomination. Following a High Court order, the district returning officer officially allocated the symbol on Monday. Mobashwer previously contested the 2008 election as a BNP candidate.

Mobashwer was a nomination aspirant for Cumilla-10, but the party awarded the nomination to former MP Abdul Gafur Bhuiyan from the same constituency. Due to the absence of party certification, Mobashwer’s nomination paper was rejected during scrutiny.

On Sunday, the High Court stayed the decisions of the returning officer and the Election Commission to cancel Mobashwer Alam Bhuiyan’s nomination and directed the commission to accept his nomination paper.

After a preliminary hearing of a writ petition filed by Mobashwer challenging the legality of the Election Commission’s decision, a High Court bench comprising Justice Rajik-Al-Jalil and Justice Md Anwarul Islam issued the order along with a rule.

Cumilla district election officer Sheikh Md Habibur Rahman said Mobashwer Alam Bhuiyan was allocated the sheaf of paddy symbol following the High Court order and receipt of party certification.