The Chamber Court of the Appellate Division has ordered the removal of Nagorik Oikya President Mahmudur Rahman Manna’s name from the list of loan defaulters. The directive was issued on Monday at around 11 a.m. following a hearing. According to lawyers, this decision clears the way for Manna to contest the national election from Bogura.

Earlier, Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited’s Bogura Barogola branch had issued a call-back notice on December 10 to recover Tk 38 crore 4 lakh 76 thousand in defaulted loans. The notice was sent to Afaku Cold Storage Limited, a company led by Manna. The company’s ownership structure includes 50 percent held by Manna, 25 percent by Managing Director ABM Nazmul Kadir Shajahan Chowdhury, and 25 percent by his wife Ismat Ara Laiju. The notice required repayment by December 18, warning of legal action for noncompliance.

Manna had previously filed a writ petition in the High Court seeking removal of his name from the defaulter list, but the petition was dismissed last Wednesday before the Chamber Court’s latest directive.