EC to act on Gazi Nazrul after Speaker’s letter

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The Election Commission will take action in accordance with the law regarding Satkhira-4 MP Gazi Mohammad Nazrul Islam if it receives a letter from the Speaker, EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said on Monday.

He made the remarks while responding to questions from journalists at the Election Building in Agargaon.

Akhtar said Jamaat-e-Islami had already informed the commission that Nazrul had been expelled from the party. However, the EC has not yet received any letter from the Speaker.

“Without a letter from the Speaker, the Election Commission has no direct responsibility in this matter,” he said.

Regarding the upcoming local government elections, the EC secretary said a decision would be taken after discussion at a commission meeting. The date of the next meeting has not yet been fixed, and the Chief Election Commissioner will decide it.

Nazrul was arrested in a case filed over the alleged abetment of the suicide of his second wife, Mariam Khatun. A court on Monday placed him on a four-day remand in the case.

Under Article 70 of the Constitution, an MP elected as a candidate of a political party loses the seat if they resign from that party or vote in Parliament against it.

Article 66 provides for disqualification from Parliament if a person is convicted of a criminal offence involving moral turpitude and sentenced to at least two years in prison, unless five years have passed since their release.