Monira Sharmin’s nomination stalled due to missing service details

The Election Commission (EC) has put on hold the verification of nomination papers submitted by Monira Sharmin, a leader of the Jatiya Nagorik Party (NCP) and former civil servant, who is seeking a reserved women’s seat in the 13th National Parliament.

The scrutiny process, led by Returning Officer and EC Joint Secretary Md Moin Uddin Khan at the EC headquarters in Agargaon on Wednesday, was suspended after officials identified significant gaps in Sharmin’s documentation.

The commission noted that while Sharmin included a salary statement based on the national pay scale, she failed to provide essential details regarding her tenure of service or the specific government institution where she was employed. Consequently, her eligibility remains unconfirmed until the missing records are produced.

“A final decision will be made following the submission of the required documents, which must be turned in by 12:00 pm tomorrow (Thursday),” the returning officer informed the candidate during the session.

In contrast to Sharmin’s situation, the EC confirmed that the nomination papers for 12 candidates representing the Jamaat-led alliance were found to be valid and in order.

The case has drawn attention due to current legal restrictions in Bangladesh, which generally prohibit retired government officials from running for parliamentary office until three years have elapsed since their departure from service.

A total of 53 candidates from five political parties are competing for the 50 seats reserved for women. The deadline for filing nominations closed on Tuesday, with the commission currently working through the verification phase for all applicants.