Dhaka-17 by-polls: Candidacy of Hero Alom, Rashidul Hasan reinstated

The Election Commission, in an appeal hearing on Thursday, declared the nominations of independent candidate Md Ashraful Hossain alias Hero Alom and Zaker Party's Kazi Md Rashidul Hasan valid for the Dhaka-17 by-election slated for 17 July.

"Four candidates filed appeals against the cancellation of their candidature in the Dhaka-17 by-elections. Of those, the appeals of Md Ashraful Hossain Alom and Kazi Md Rashidul Hasan have been accepted," Ashok Kumar Debnath, additional secretary of the Election Commission, told reporters after the hearing at the EC office in the capital.

The appeals of the remaining two – independent candidates Tariqul Islam Bhuiyan and Sheikh Asaduzzaman Jalal – were rejected, he added and noted that the official order on the latest decision will be issued on 25 June. 

Earlier on 18 June, the EC cancelled the nomination of Hero Alom and seven other candidates for the by-polls. Challenging the decision, Hero Alom made an appeal to the EC a few days later.

Alom, who creates content for social media like Facebook and Youtube, collected the nomination paper from the commission's office in Dhaka on 4 June.

As per the schedule, the last date for withdrawal of nomination papers is 25 June, and symbols will be allotted the next day. 

The Dhaka-17 constituency became vacant following the death of Akbar Hossain Pathan, popularly known as Farooq, on 15 May this year.

Although 20 people took nomination papers for the election, 15 submitted their papers to the EC. In review, the commission accepted nominations of seven and rejected that of eight. With the latest addition, nine candidates have been allowed to race for the seat. 

Bangladesh Awami League nominated Mohammad Ali Arafat and Jatiya Party's Shikder Anisur Rahman are among the candidates.