Abdul Awal Mintu and Hasnat Abdullah squabble in EC

A squabble broke out between National Citizens Party (NCP) Chief Coordinator Hasnat Abdullah and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) candidate Abdul Awal Mintu in the Election Commission (EC) auditorium on Saturday (17 January 2026).

Abdul Awal Mintu has been nominated by BNP to contest the 13th parliamentary elections from Feni 3 constituency while Hasnat Abdullah will be vying for NCP from Cumilla 4 electoral seat.

The quarrel between Abdul Awal Mintu and Hasnat Abdullah took place over dual citizenship. It happened while an appeal hearing was going on in the Election Commission headquarters yesterday regarding the Manikganj-3 paddy sheaf candidate Afroza Khanam Rita's nomination legality. Situation suddenly became heated up in the middle of the appeal hearing. 

The hearing was adjourned for half an hour yesterday afternoon when Abdul Awal Mintu and Hasnat Abdullah started slinging mud at one another in presence of lawyers. 

Law and order forces had to move forward to restrain Hasnat Abdullah and Abdul Awal Mintu from further assaulting each other verbally.

Hasnat Abdullah complained to the EC that BNP candidate Abdul Awal Mintu scolded him in abusive words. Hasnat Abdullah urged the EC to issue a ruling over Abdul Awal Mintu's misbehaviour.

Hasnat Abdullah told journalists that people like Abdul Awal Mintu always keep up nexus with banned outfit Awami League to retain the safety of illegally earned money and laundered funds. Hasnat Abdullah said "We don't want to see culprits in Bangladesh who run illegal business standing on the blood of the July Revolution martyrs."