Independent candidate for the Dhaka-9 constituency, Tasnim Jara, has expressed firm confidence in overturning the cancellation of her nomination. In a video message posted on her verified Facebook page late Saturday night, she stated that her legal team has “strong arguments” to present during the appeal process.
“We have a firm belief that we will win the appeal and contest this election as your supported candidate. My lawyer has informed me that there are solid arguments and past precedents to support our case,” Jara said in the video message at 11:22 PM.
The nomination of the former National Citizen Party (NCP) leader was rejected by the Returning Officer on Saturday afternoon following the scrutiny process. The cancellation was based on a discrepancy involving two of the ten verified voters who supported her candidacy. According to the Returning Officer, while she submitted more than the required signatures, two supporters were found not to be registered voters of the Dhaka-9 constituency.
Addressing the confusion, Tasnim Jara explained that one supporter lived in an area (Khilgaon) that is split between Dhaka-9 and Dhaka-11, and the individual believed they were in Dhaka-9. The other supporter’s NID address indicated Dhaka-9, but the Election Commission’s online database showed them registered in Shariatpur.
Refund for Crowdfunding Contributors
During her message, Tasnim Jara also addressed the issue of “crowdfunding.” She had previously raised Tk 46.93 lakh from the public to fund her election campaign.
Following her resignation from the NCP over the party’s alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami and subsequent decision to run as an independent, she offered to refund anyone who no longer wished to support her.
- Refund Status: So far, 205 contributors who sent money via bKash have requested refunds.
- Process: The process of returning these funds is already underway.
- Open Form: She has provided a link to a form in her post’s comments for others who wish to claim a refund.
“Every person’s money will be returned. There is no room for doubt about this,” she assured her supporters, urging them not to be discouraged by the current legal hurdle.
Political Transition
Tasnim Jara resigned as the Senior Joint Member Secretary of the NCP just days before the nomination deadline, citing ideological differences regarding the party’s electoral alliances. She then filed her papers as an independent candidate for the Dhaka-9 seat, which includes Khilgaon, Sabujbagh, and Mugda.
The official appeal window at the Election Commission opens tomorrow, January 5, and will continue until January 9. A final decision on her candidacy is expected between January 10 and 18.
