MD MEHEDI HASAN

The Election Commission has scrapped the nominations of 82 parliamentary election aspirants for loan default, while 31 others will remain in the race after securing court stay orders on their default status.

Under the Representation of the People Order (RPO), a loan defaulter is not eligible to contest in the election. But a stay order from the top court enables a defaulter to enjoy the same opportunities as any other citizen until the appeal is disposed of.

One such beneficiary is an aspirant from a Narayanganj constituency.

Although he is a loan defaulter, his nomination was declared valid after the High Court, following a writ petition, issued a stay order on the Credit Information Bureau listing him as a defaulter. The order will remain effective until the appeal is disposed of.

In the same vein, another loan defaulter was able to pass his nomination from a Moulvibazar constituency.

If loan defaulters continue to receive such advantages in all areas, it will have negative consequences, especially in a national election, said experts and analysts.

“This is a great misfortune,” said Mustafa K Mujeri, executive director at the Institute for Inclusive Finance and Development.

In this country, loan defaulters enjoy more privileges, while good borrowers suffer.

“Defaulters continue to move around with extra benefits, and it is we who have Loan

SEE PAGE 2 COL 4