Writ seeks to declare Hannan Masud’s MP seat vacant

A writ petition has been filed with the High Court seeking to declare the Noakhali-6 parliamentary seat of National Citizens Party (NCP) lawmaker Abdul Hannan Masud vacant over alleged irregularities in his election affidavit.

Nazmul Hossain, a resident of Hatiya in Noakhali, filed the petition on Wednesday, alleging affidavit fraud by Masud.

The petition may be heard by a High Court bench comprising Justice Raziq-Al Jalil and Justice Debasish Roy Chowdhury.

The petitioner’s lawyer, ABM Ibrahim Khalil, said Masud had acknowledged signing and submitting the affidavit without knowing its contents.

“He himself admitted that he signed and submitted the affidavit without knowing its contents. This amounts to fraud, and we have approached the High Court over the matter,” he said.

The petition seeks a court directive on why Masud’s seat should not be declared vacant.

Masud won the Feb 12 13th parliamentary election in Noakhali-6 with 91,899 votes on the NCP’s Shapla Koli symbol. His nearest rival, BNP candidate Mohammad Mahbuber Rahman, secured 64,021 votes on the Sheaf of Paddy symbol.