Despite being listed as loan defaulters, 31 parliamentary candidates have successfully retained their eligibility after receiving court injunctions, according to the returning officers’ announcements. Of these, 15 are nominated by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), while 11 stand as independents, with the remainder representing other parties.
These candidates were flagged by the Bangladesh Bank’s Central Information Bureau (CIB) for defaulting on loans from various banks and financial institutions across the country. However, following high court injunctions, their candidacies were validated, allowing them to contest in the upcoming national election.
For the 13th parliamentary elections, a total of 2,565 nominations were submitted across 300 constituencies. Out of these, 82 nominations were invalidated solely due to loan default status—28 independents, three BNP, and two Jamaat-e-Islami candidates. Other affected candidates belonged to the National Party, Communist Party of Bangladesh, and Chormonai Pir’s faction, Islami Andolan Bangladesh. Including other disqualifications, a total of 723 nominations were cancelled, while 1,842 were approved. Appeals against both approved and rejected nominations may be filed until 9 January.
Under the Representation of the People Order (RPO), loan defaulters are barred from contesting elections. Amendments during the interim government’s tenure also stipulate that elected MPs can lose their seats if default status is confirmed post-election. Voting is scheduled for 12 February.
Loan Defaulter Candidates Retained by Court Order
| Party/Status | No. of Candidates | Notable Constituencies (Examples) |
|---|---|---|
| BNP | 15 | Bogura-1, Tangail-4, Mymensingh-5, Chittagong-2, Sylhet-1 |
| Independents | 11 | Jessore-5, Mymensingh-10, Comilla-9, Chittagong-5, Sylhet-3 |
| Other Parties | 5 | Nat’l Party, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Bangladesh Republican Party |
Conversely, BNP had three candidates disqualified due to outstanding loans, but replacement nominees were accepted in all three constituencies. Similarly, two Jamaat candidates and 28 independents were disqualified, while numerous candidates from the National Party, Islami Andolan, Ganadhikar Parishad, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), LDP, Communist Party, and Bangladesh Labour Party also lost eligibility.
This election cycle has highlighted the judiciary’s pivotal role in balancing legal eligibility with voters’ choice, as many candidates marked as defaulters continue to contest based on court orders. The final list of candidates will determine the political landscape ahead of the 13th parliamentary elections.