HC clears way for Sarowar Alamgir to take oath as Ctg-2 MP

The High Court Division (HC) of the Supreme Court of on Thursday (July 9) cleared the way for BNP leader Sarwar Alamgir to take oath as a member of parliament after declaring his candidature for the Chattogram-2 constituency valid.

A bench comprising Justice Fahmida Quader and Justice Md Asif Hasan made the ruling, effectively setting aside the Election Commission of Bangladesh decision that had cancelled his candidature.

With the verdict, the court made absolute the rule it had previously issued, removing the final legal obstacle to Sarwar Alamgir's swearing-in as an MP.

The court had fixed July 9 for delivering the judgment after concluding hearings on July 2.

Senior lawyer Ahsanul Karim and barrister A M Mahbub Uddin Khokon represented the petitioner, while senior lawyer Shishir Monir and lawyer Azim Uddin Patwari appeared for rival candidate Md Nurul Amin.

According to court documents, after the returning officer declared Sarwar Alamgir's nomination valid, rival candidate Nurul Amin appealed to the Election Commission, alleging that he was a loan defaulter. Following a hearing, the commission cancelled Sarwar Alamgir's candidature on January 18.

Sarwar Alamgir later challenged the decision before the High Court, which on January 27 stayed the EC order and allowed him to contest the election.

Although the matter later reached the Appellate Division through a leave-to-appeal petition, the court permitted him to remain in the race but ordered that the election result for the constituency would remain withheld until the legal proceedings were concluded.

Sarwar Alamgir won the February 12 parliamentary election, but the result was not officially published due to the court's directive.

After the Appellate Division on June 16 instructed the High Court to dispose of the pending rule expeditiously, the High Court on Thursday delivered its final verdict validating his candidature, paving the way for him to take oath as an MP.