The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court today scrapped the candidacy of BNP candidate for the Chattogram-4 constituency Aslam Chowdhury in the 13th parliamentary election, citing his defaulted loans.

A four-member bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury, delivered the verdict following an appeal filed challenging a High Court judgment that allowed Aslam to contest the election held on February 12 this year.

The appeal was filed by Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Md Anwar Siddique against the High Court's directive, alleging that Aslam was a loan defaulter.

Anwar Siddique's lawyer, Mohammad Shishir Manir, told The Daily Star that the Appellate Division today cancelled Aslam's candidacy on the grounds that he is a loan defaulter.

It is to be mentioned that a fresh election will be held in the constituency, or Anwar Siddique will be declared elected there after the full text of the Appellate Division verdict is released, he said.

Following the appeal filed by Anwar Siddique, the Appellate Division, on February 3, directed the Election Commission to allow Aslam to contest the election, but ruled that the final publication of the election result would remain withheld until the disposal of the pending appeal.

Subsequently, Aslam contested and won the election, but the result has been kept withheld in compliance with the apex court order.

Senior lawyers M Qumrul Haque Siddique and Probir Neogi placed arguments as amici curiae (friends of the court), while senior lawyer Mohammad Shishir Manir, accompanied by Advocate Azim Uddin Patwary, appeared for Anwar Siddique. Senior lawyers AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon and Md Miftah Uddin Choudhury represented Aslam Chowdhury.

In addition, senior lawyer Kamal-Ul-Alam represented Bank Asia, and lawyer ASM Shahriar Kabir represented Jamuna Bank during the hearing of the appeal.