Publication date : December 20, 2018
Media: The Independent
Original URL: Husband, wife contesting polls in Ctg ‘concealing information’
E-paper URL: Husband, wife contesting polls in Ctg ‘concealing information’
Shamsuddin Illius, Ctg
Mohammad Emdadul Haque and Sabina Khatun, husband and wife, are set to contest the next national polls from two different constituencies in Chattogram. But they have allegedly concealed relevant information in the affidavits filed to the Election Commission (EC) regarding their income and moveable and immoveable property.
The husband did not mention his wife’s income and her moveable and immovable property as per the EC rule. The wife too did not state her husband’s property and income to the commission. Both Emdadul and Sabina are contesting as independent candidates as their party, World Humanity Revolution, is not registered with the EC.
Sabina is contesting the polls with the ‘lion’ symbol from the Chattogram-10 (Halishahar-Phartali) constituency, while Emdadul Haque is fighting the election with the same symbol from Chattogram-8 (Chandagaon-Boalkhali).
Sources say Emdadul was the member secretary of the Chattogram city unit of World Humanity Revolution, while his wife is the convener of the city women’s unit of that party. They are using the Shahsufi Saifur Rahaman Nizamai Khanka as their party’s temporary office in Chattogram.
However, he gave no information about his wife in the affidavit. He mentioned that he would spend Tk. 1,500,000 in the polls, of which Tk. 600,000 would be from his own income, Tk. 700,000 received from relatives and Tk. 200,000 donated by well-wishers. Sabina, a post-graduate in business studies, stated that she worked at SA Beverage at Agrabad in Chattogram. She also stated that she had Tk. 1,339,421 in cash and an annual income of Tk 600,600.
According to Sabina’s statement, her annual expense amounted to Tk. 176,344. She also mentioned that she had gold, prize bonds, and postal certificates worth Tk. 395,000, while the value of furniture and electronic gadgets was Tk 222,000. She, however, did not mention the income and moveable and immoveable property of her husband in the affidavit, though their separate affidavits show that they have separate incomes and properties.
If a candidate gives false information or conceals information in the affidavit, his/her nomination paper is liable to be rejected, and, if elected, his/her election can be declared void.
However, Emdadul Haque told The Independent that the omission was inadvertent. “The affidavits were filled up as per our records of the income tax. We don’t have much property. It was only a mistake. We did not deliberately avoid the information,” he claimed.
When contacted, Sabina Khatun told The Independent: “The thing was a mistake. We just made a mistake while filling up the form.”
Apologising for the mistakes, Sabina said: “It’s the first time we’re contesting the polls. We’ve filled all the documents as per our income tax returns. We excluded some information because of a mistake. We’ll be careful in future.”
“My wife and I are contesting the polls as independent candidates. We’re contesting from World Humanity Revolution, which is part of the World Sunni Movement. We applied to the EC for the registration of our party, but it rejected our application,” said Emdadul. Four leaders of World Humanity Revolution submitted nominations to contest the polls as independent candidates. But only Sabina Khatun and Mohammad Emdadul Haque’s papers were declared valid.
The EC rejected the candidature of Rezaul Karim from Chattogram-1 (Mirsarai) as he failed to show even one per cent voters’ support as per the EC rule. Mohammad Abu Taleb Helali’s nomination was cancelled from Chattogram-12 for the same reason. Later, Taleb’s candidature was restored through a High Court order, said Emdadul Haque.
When contacted, Mohammad Monir Hossain, Chattogram district election officer, told The Independent: “Now, we have nothing to do. If rival candidates raise questions, we will take action as per law.
We did not know they are husband and wife. During scrutiny no one raised any objection about the concealment of information in the affidavits. If the division concerned does not say anything, there is nothing to be done. However, according to the rules, action can be taken after the polls.”