Engineer Muhammad Nezam Uddin Akash, the People's Rights Council candidate for Chattogram-11 (Bandar-Patenga), has regained his eligibility to contest the upcoming 13th National Parliament election following a High Court order.
A High Court bench comprising Justice Md. Anwarul Islam and Justice Razik-Al-Jalil passed the order on Sunday (January 18). The court also directed the District Returning Officer to allocate an electoral symbol to Nezam Uddin, removing the final legal hurdle for his candidacy.
Nezam Uddin’s nomination was initially canceled on January 1 by Returning Officer Mohammad Belayet Hossain Chowdhury due to an alleged default on a Chattogram City Corporation e-trade license renewal fee.
The candidate challenged the decision through an appeal to the Election Commission (EC), but the commission upheld the cancellation during a hearing on January 12. Nezam Uddin then filed a writ petition with the High Court, which ultimately ruled in his favor.
Following the verdict, Nezam Uddin described the initial cancellation as a "conspiracy," claiming the complaint regarding his trade license fee was raised abruptly just before the scrutiny process. "The High Court has delivered justice today," he said. "The People's Rights Council is a party of the people, and I am confident the voters of Bandar-Patenga will support our vision for reform."
The 13th National Parliament election is scheduled for February 12, 2026.
