DHAKA: Bangladesh’s Election Commission (EC) on Saturday canceled BNP candidate Monzurul Ahsan Munshi’s nomination for the Cumilla-4 seat. Meanwhile, it upheld the candidacy of rival Abul Hasnat from the National Citizen Party (NCP). Hasnat is known as a leader of the July Uprising that contributed to the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on August 5, 2024, and is seen as a factor in worsening Dhaka-Delhi ties. The EC’s decision followed hearings on appeals from both candidates against each other’s nominations. The EC, led by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, accepted Hasnat’s appeal and rejected Munshi’s, stating Munshi had failed to prove Hasnat’s income sources properly, while Hasnat claimed Munshi was a loan defaulter who hid this in his papers. The national election is set for February 12, and the Awami League will not participate. If Munshi tries to challenge this cancellation in the high court and fails, Hasnat is likely to win unopposed in Cumilla-4. Jamaat-e-Islami and NCP are allied against BNP in the election.