Election 2008

Nine aspirants face 43 cases in Khulna dist

5 December 2008, 18:00 PM

Quazi Amanullah, Khulna

As many as 43 cases, mostly pending for trial in courts, were filed against nine nomination aspirants from six constituencies in Khulna city and district. However, five of them including Kazi Faruque Ahmed, chairman of Proshika and president of newly floated United Citizens Movement, who faces 23 cases, have got nomination papers cancelled during scrutiny by the election officials for different reasons including loan default. According to the affidavit submitted by the nomination aspirants, former lawmaker Babu Panchanon Biswas and Sheikh Asaduzzaman Jalal (nomination seeker in Khulna-1), Proshika chief Kazi Faruque Ahmed, ex-KCC mayor Sheikh Tayebur Rahman's wife Laila Rahman and Asaduzzaman Jalal (Khulna-2), former JP lawmaker and now independent candidate Abdul Gaffar Biswas (Khulna-3), JP leader Mokhtar Hossain and IOJ leader SM Sakhawat Hossain (Khulna-4), Kazi Faruque Ahmed of United Citizens Movement and Shabakash Chandra Mandol (Khulna-5) and former Awami League lawmaker Sheikh Nurul Huq (Khulna-6) are accused in the cases. Among them, nomination papers of Sheikh Asaduzzaman Jalal, Kazi Faruque Ahmed, Laila Rahman, Shabakash Chandra Mandol and Sheikh Nurul Huq have been cancelled. Kazi Faruque mentioned in his affidavit that 23 cases against him are pending for trial in Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court. But he has not mentioned in the affidavit details of the cases. Panchanon Biswas is facing two cases, now pending for trial. One of these cases was filed against him in 2006 under Explosive Substances Act. Laila Rahman is an accused in a cheating case filed with Khulna CMM Court in May this year. Three cases, filed in connection with murder, narcotics and arms, are pending for trial against JP central Organising Secretary Abdul Gaffar Biswas. Senior Vice President of Khulna district AL and former lawmaker advocate Sheikh Nurul Huq, who has filed nomination paper as an independent candidate from Khulna-6, is facing three cases which are now pending for trial in the court of a first class magistrate in Sunamganj district, Khulna CMM Court and the Court of Khulna Judicial Magistrate. According to Khulna returning officer, Proshika Chairman Kazi Faruque Ahmed is yet to repay Tk one crore 6 lakh and 46 thousand taken as loan on December 1 in 2005 from the Motijheal branch of Krishi Bank in Dhaka. Krishi Bank Principal Officer Md Abdul Wadud gave this information through an official letter to Khulna returning officer. When asked, Kazi Faruque said he would appeal against the decision of cancelling his nomination paper as the loan was taken for greater interest of farmers, not for his personal interest.