Bangladesh Election Commission rejects Hindu candidate Gobindadeb Pramanik’s nomination in Sheikh Hasina’s former seat

Gobindadeb Pramanik barred from Gopalganj-3 as Bangladesh polls draw near

A prominent Hindu lawyer and community leader has been barred from contesting Bangladesh’s upcoming general election after the Election Commission rejected his nomination, a development that has drawn attention amid continuing concerns over minority representation and safety in the country.

Gobindadeb Pramanik, an advocate and general secretary of the central committee of the Bangladesh Jatiya Hindu Mahajote, had filed his nomination as an independent candidate from the Gopalganj-3 constituency. The seat holds political significance as it was previously represented by former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and has a Hindu-majority electorate, with over half of its voters belonging to the community.

According to reports, Pramanik’s nomination was rejected on Saturday by the returning officer, citing invalid signatures. Under Bangladesh’s election law, independent candidates are required to submit verified signatures from at least 1 per cent of voters in their constituency. Pramanik said he met the requirement but alleged that political pressure led to the signatures being disowned at the final stage.

“Advocate Gobinda Chandra Pramanik will contest the national election as an independent candidate from the Gopalganj-3 constituency. He is scheduled to submit his nomination paper on December 28,” Bijan Bijan Roy, president of the district unit of the Hindu Mohajote, had earlier told The Daily Star.

Speaking to The Times of India from Gopalganj, Pramanik claimed that individuals who had signed in his support were threatened and later pressured to appear before the returning officer to deny their signatures. As a result, the nomination was cancelled on grounds of invalid documentation.

“Even though the signatures of 1% of my voters were genuine, the district returning officer refused to accept the affidavits and declared the signatures invalid,” Pramanik told TOI. He said he would challenge the decision before the Election Commission and, if necessary, move the High Court.

Another Hindu candidate, Dulal Biswas of the registered political party Gono Forum, also faced hurdles after his nomination papers were put on hold due to missing documents. Unlike independent candidates, the 1 per cent signature rule does not apply to party nominees. Biswas has been given time to resubmit the required paperwork.

In contrast, Utpal Biswas, an independent Hindu candidate from the neighbouring Gopalganj-2 constituency, remains in the fray. The seat was earlier represented by Sheikh Hasina’s cousin, Sheikh Salim. “I work closely with farmers and the underprivileged. I believe they will vote for me,” Utpal Biswas said.

Reacting to Pramanik’s disqualification, senior Bangladeshi journalist Salahuddin Shoaib Choudhury alleged institutional bias in the nomination process, claiming it was designed to prevent minority-backed and independent candidates from weakening the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s electoral prospects.

Pramanik, a long-time figure within Hindu organisations, has faced mixed reactions within the community following his public support for interim government chief Muhammad Yunus after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s administration. Some Hindu groups reportedly distanced themselves from him over the stance.

Bangladesh is heading towards elections under an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. While authorities have promised free and peaceful polls, recent incidents of violence, attacks on media outlets and reports of intimidation have raised concerns.

The rejection of Pramanik’s nomination comes amid reports of attacks on minorities since Sheikh Hasina’s removal from power. On Saturday, a delegation representing minority communities met BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman in Dhaka to raise security concerns. Rahman sought their electoral support and assured them of protection.

The Election Commission has yet to issue a detailed public response addressing Pramanik’s allegations or clarifying the specific reasons for rejecting his nomination.