Hasnat Abdullah, the National Citizens Party (NCP) candidate of the Jamaat-led alliance in the Comilla-4 (Debidwar) constituency, on Sunday said that if elected in the upcoming national election, he would make Bangladesh “the next hell for loan defaulters.”

He made the remark reacting to the Appellate Division’s order rejecting a leave to appeal filed by BNP-nominated candidate Manjurul Ahsan Munshi to regain his candidacy in the Comilla-4 constituency.

“This is a message for bank robbers and loan defaulters. If elected, I will make Bangladesh the next hell for loan defaulters,” Hasnat said.

Earlier in the day, the Appellate Division, headed by the chief justice, rejected Munshi’s leave to appeal against a High Court order, effectively barring him from contesting the 13th national parliamentary election, according to his lawyers.

The High Court on January 21 dismissed a writ petition filed by Munshi challenging the Election Commission’s (EC) decision to cancel his nomination. The bench comprised Justice Razik Al Jalil and Justice Md Anwarul Islam.

Munshi was represented in court by Advocate Ahsanul Karim, Barrister Hamidul Misbah and Advocate Saifullah Al Mamun, while Hasnat Abdullah was represented by Barrister Ehsan Abdullah Siddique, Advocate Zahirul Islam Musa and Advocate Mujahidul Islam Shaheen.

Earlier, the returning officer had initially declared Munshi’s nomination papers valid. Hasnat Abdullah subsequently appealed to the EC, alleging that the BNP candidate had concealed information about being a loan defaulter.

After a hearing at the Election Building in Agargaon on January 17, the EC upheld Hasnat’s appeal and declared Munshi’s nomination invalid.

Munshi later filed a writ petition seeking to stay the EC’s decision and restore his candidacy, which was dismissed by the High Court, followed by the rejection of his appeal in the Appellate Division.