Shahdeen Malik withdraws name from EC candidates' list 

Supreme Court Advocate Shahdeen Malik has officially withdrawn his name from the list of candidates proposed for appointment to the new Election Commission.

Announcing his withdrawal, Shahdeen Malik wrote to the Cabinet Division, "It has come to my attention that my name has been included in a list of names under consideration for appointment to the Election Commission."

"I did not propose my name for this position, and am unsure why my name is on this list," he stated in an email, wishing not to be considered for any position in the EC. 

The Search Committee on forming the next EC on Monday published a list of 322 names proposed by different parties, organisations and individuals. 

The list includes dozens of well-known faces including Shahdeen Malik, former Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, former cabinet secretary Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan, former minister for religious affairs and water resources M Nazim Uddin Al Azad, an adviser to the former caretaker government and current president of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) Sultana Kamal, Bishwo Shahitto Kendro Founder Prof Abdullah Abu Sayeed, noted author Prof Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, former Chief Justice Syed JR Mudassir Husain, former Dhaka University vice-chancellor Prof Dr AAMS Arefin Siddique, former Chief Information Commissioner Prof Golam Rahman, journalist Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, film actor and Nirapad Sarak Chai (Nischa) founder Ilias Kanchan, former election commissioner M Shakhawat Hossain, journalist Ajay Dasgupta, Sushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan) General Secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar, former Begum Rokeya University Vice-Chancellor Prof Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah, noted economist Dr Ahsan Mansur, noted fashion designer Bibi Russell, Research Initiatives Bangladesh (RIB) Executive Director Dr Meghna Guhathakurta, adviser to a former caretaker government Rasheda K Chowdhury, noted educator and author Prof Syed Manzoorul Islam, economist Binayak Sen, Bangla Academy director and writer Selina Hossain, dean of Dhaka University Social Science faculty Sadeka Halim, former Bangladesh Ambassador to London MA Hannan, former Bangladesh Bank governor Dr Atiur Rahman, former Chief of Army Staff Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan and former inspector general of police (IGP) AKM Shahidul Haque.