Gazipur City Corporation polls: 'Loan defaulter' Jahangir says nomination rejection undemocratic

Mohammad Jahangir Alam, whose nomination paper for the Gazipur City Corporation polls was rejected alongside two others, termed the development undemocratic on Sunday (30 April).

"I mortgaged my own land for humanitarian reasons to save an industrial establishment. I did not own the money and the company paid the money. Still, my nomination paper was cancelled which is undemocratic. I did not get impartiality and justice from the commission," Jahangir said, adding he will appeal to the High Court.

Jahangir and his lawyer also said the guarantor never defaults on the loan and the defaulting borrower institution had already deposited the instalment amount and applied for the loan schedule.

Returning Officer Md Faridul Islam said, "All the documents submitted by Zahangir Alam are correct. But according to a report from the Bangladesh Bank, an institution for which he was the guarantor defaulted on a loan. That is why his nomination was rejected." 

Jahangir Alam and his lawyer were present at the time said the returning officer. 

The other two candidates whose nomination papers were cancelled are independent candidates Mohammad Oliur Rahman and Md Abul Hossain.

Photo: TBS

Meanwhile, Jahangir's mother, Zayeda Khatun, who is also running for the post of mayor, was declared a valid candidate. 

Jahangir submitted his nomination papers on Thursday (27 April) to run for the post again as an independent candidate.

He was suspended from the post of mayor in November 2021 on charges of corruption, abuse of power and mismanagement. He was also expelled from the Awami League for breaking party discipline. 

However, Jahangir was reinstated to the party in January this year, subject to conditions.

Jahangir Alam sought an Awami League nomination to be a candidate for the post of mayor in the Gazipur city elections. However, the party has nominated Metropolitan Awami League President Azmat Ullah Khan.

Ever since the matter was confirmed in mid-April, rumours were rife that Zahangir might run for the polls as an independent candidate.

Later, he told the reporters that he is standing in the election "not against party but against person."

If Jahangir Alam takes part in the election as an independent candidate, he will be considered a rebel.  Rebel candidates can be expelled without prior notice for competing against an individual nominated by the party, as per Awami League's constitution.  Many in the party feel if Jahangir takes part in the election on 25 May, it will slim the chances of victory for Azmat Ullah Khan.

While senior Awami League leaders support Azmat, Jahangir has a significant hold over junior leaders. Many think since the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is not in the election, some of the party's supporters may end up voting for Jahangir and defeat Azmat. 

In 2013, Azmat Ullah Khan lost the city corporation election to BNP nominee MA Mannan. In that election, Jahangir, as an independent candidate, bagged nearly 30,000 votes - which many believe contributed to Azmat's loss. 

Jahangir Alam got the Awami League nomination in the 2018 city corporation polls and won the election. He also became the general secretary of the city's Awami League chapter. 

In November of 2021, footage of Jahangir making derogatory remarks about Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and expressing doubts about the number of martyrs in the Liberation War went viral. He was expelled from the party and later the government suspended him as mayor.