Kabir Mia's return to Gopalganj-1 constituency creates new heat in politics

Ahead of the upcoming 13th National Parliament elections, a major surprise has come to the political arena of Gopalganj-1 constituency. The High Court has declared the nomination papers of Kabir Mia, a candidate nominated by the People's Rights Council who was rejected on charges of loan default, and currently imprisoned, valid. With this court order, all legal complications related to his participation in the election have been removed, he is contesting the elections from prison, which has added a new dimension to the electoral equation of this constituency.

On Tuesday (January 20), a double bench of the High Court stayed the previous decision of the Election Commission and ordered the acceptance of Kabir Mia's nomination papers and allotment of an election symbol to him. With this, his candidacy in Gopalganj-1 constituency was officially finalized and the competition in the voting field intensified.

Earlier, during the scrutiny of nomination papers, the returning officer had cancelled Kabir Mia's candidacy, citing him as a loan defaulter. He appealed to the Election Commission against that decision, but after a long hearing, the commission upheld the decision of the returning officer and dismissed his appeal. After that, Kabir Mia approached the High Court.

During the hearing in the High Court, Kabir Mia's lawyers argued that the related loan issue has already been settled and he is no longer a defaulter according to the prevailing law. After hearing the arguments of both sides, the court declared his nomination paper valid, which has brightened his political future.

Kabir Mia is the former chairman of Muksudpur Upazila Parishad and a well-known name active in local politics for a long time. According to the locals, he has a strong vote bank in Gopalganj-1 constituency due to his close contact with the common people and long political involvement.

His path in political life has been through various ups and downs. At one time, he was associated with Awami League politics. However, he was expelled from the party due to a dispute with former minister Colonel (retd.) Muhammad Faruk Khan. Despite this, his influence in the area remains unwavering due to his involvement in various social and professional organizations. He is currently the president of the Boraitala-Muksudpur-Kashiani Regional Bus and Minibus Owners Association and the former president of the C&F Agents Association.

It is worth noting that Kabir Mia participated as an independent candidate in the 12th National Parliament election of 2024 from the Gopalganj-1 constituency. In that election, he contested against Awami League candidate Col. (Retd.) Muhammad Faruk Khan and secured nearly one lakh votes, which brought him to the center of national politics.

According to political analysts, since Kabir Mia's nomination is valid, the voting pattern of the Gopalganj-1 constituency is being reorganized. His candidacy while in prison has created a different level of excitement in the election and may make the fight for this constituency more competitive.

Incidentally, Kabir Mia is currently in prison as an accused in a murder attempt case during the anti-discrimination student movement. On April 17 last year, the Uttara Paschim Thana police of the DMP arrested him from the airport civil aviation area. Nevertheless, his political comeback from prison has sparked new discussions in Gopalganj politics.