BNP raises concerns over dual citizenship candidacy bans

The party also alleged the name of BNP and its electoral symbol ‘Sheaf of Paddy’ were intentionally kept in the folding line of postal ballots to make them less visible, which were already sent to expatriate voters in different foreign countries.

A four-member BNP delegation, led by BNP’s Central Election Steering Committee Chairman Nazrul Islam Khan, raised the concern and allegation at a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin in the city’s Nirbachan Bhaban.

Election commissioners and the EC senior secretary were present at the meeting.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Nazrul Islam Khan said the issue of dual citizenship has created complications not only for BNP candidates but also for aspirants from other political parties.

The Constitution clearly states that a person becomes eligible to contest elections once he or she gives up foreign citizenship, he said.

“The affidavit has to be filed. In the affidavit it needs to mention whether the aspirant is a citizen of any other country or not…. There is no mention (condition) of submitting any proof documents regarding (giving up) the citizenship (of a foreign country). However, we see that in some places, the Returning Officer has declared the candidature of the candidates invalid on such issues, and the candidature of some candidates is being cancelled in the appeals heard by the Election Commission,” he said.

Nazrul Islam, also a BNP Standing Committee member said two candidates of Jamaat-e-Islami have already lost their candidature on similar grounds. We think the review should be conducted equally for all candidates. The candidacy of their candidates also should be reviewed as well,” he said.

He said many candidates were forced to leave the country during the past 15–16 years during the repressive regime and had to stay abroad for long periods, during which some obtained foreign citizenship.

The BNP leader said those candidates have since returned under the changed political situation and relinquished their foreign citizenship, making them eligible to contest elections under the Constitution.

“If such candidates are deprived of contesting the election on excuses or technical grounds (failed to submit proof document), it will be grossly unjust and will obstruct the competitive and fair election that people are waiting for,” he said.

Replying to a question, the BNP leader said they have concern over it as two candidatures have already been cancelled.

He said BNP has several candidates who were compelled to stay abroad during difficult times, later renounced their foreign citizenship, and therefore remain constitutionally eligible to contest elections.

He said BNP told the Election Commission that no citizen should be deprived of constitutional rights under any circumstances.

Sheaf of Paddy in postal ballots:

The BNP leader also alleged that in postal ballots, the names and symbols of certain political parties have intentionally been placed prominently on the first line, while BNP’s name and symbol were placed in the middle, making them less visible when the paper is folded.

“We clearly told the Commission that such a strategy should not be implemented in the in-country postal ballots and that this anomaly must be corrected,” he said.

Nazrul Islam said also raised concerns over the distribution of postal ballots abroad, alleging irregularities in the process. He said videos circulating on social media show leaders of a particular political party handling a large number of ballot papers in Bahrain.

He said the EC told them that the issue has come to their notice and already contacted the Bangladeshi ambassador in Bahrain.

The Commission assured that further investigation would be conducted and action would be taken based on the findings.

The BNP leader further alleged that a particular political party has been collecting voters’ national identity card details and mobile phone numbers across the country. The purpose behind such collection is suspicious and unprecedented.

“Such activities may be aimed at creating fake voters or influencing votes,” he said.

He said the collection of mobile financial service numbers could indicate the possibility of monetary transactions.

BNP urged the Election Commission to take action in this regard, and the Commission assured that necessary steps would be taken.

Other BNP delegation members are BNP election steering committee chief coordinator Ismail Jabiullah and its members Barrister Ruhul Kuddus Kajol and also Dr Mohammad Zakaria.

The Election Commission on December 11 announced the polls schedule to arrange the 13th parliamentary election and the referendum on the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order simultaneously on February 12, 2026.

A total of 2,568 aspirants submitted nomination papers to run the upcoming national election from the country’s 300 constituencies, but the returning officers declared 1,842 nomination papers valid, while 723 others invalid and the rest ones were not examined during the scrutiny.

The Election Commission on Saturday last started the hearing and settling of the appeal petitions filed by the aggrieved persons against the cancellation and rejection of nomination papers by the returning officers.

The EC will hear and dispose of a total of 645 petitions by January 18, reports UNB.