HC Validates BNP’s Sarwar Alamgir in Chittagong-2, Clearing Path for Oath

The High Court has declared the candidacy of BNP leader Sarwar Alamgir, winner of the Chittagong-2 constituency in the 13th National Parliament election, to be legally valid.

On Thursday (July 9), a High Court bench comprising Justice Fahmida Quader and Justice Md. Asif Hasan delivered the verdict, removing the final legal barrier preventing Alamgir from taking his parliamentary oath.

Following the ruling, Alamgir’s lawyer, Ahsanul Karim, confirmed that the Election Commission will now publish Alamgir's name in the official gazette, allowing parliament to complete the oath-taking formalities. However, Mohammad Shishir Monir, representing Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Mohammad Nurul Amin, stated they plan to appeal the decision.

The legal dispute began when the Election Commission initially canceled Alamgir’s candidacy over alleged loan defaults raised by his Jamaat rival. Alamgir secured a High Court order on January 27, which temporarily reinstated his candidacy and allocated him the "paddy sheaf" symbol for the election.

Amin subsequently challenged this order. On February 3, the Appellate Division allowed Alamgir to participate in the election but suspended the publication of his official results until the High Court resolved the initial dispute. After the Appellate Division ordered an expedited hearing on June 16, the High Court concluded its proceedings on July 2, culminating in Thursday's final verdict in Alamgir’s favor.

Senior lawyers Ahsanul Karim and AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon represented Alamgir, while Mohammad Shishir Monir represented the Jamaat candidate.