A total of 497 candidates in the upcoming national election have wealth over Tk 1 crore, with nearly half of them being nominees of Awami League-led grand alliance.

Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan), an organisation working for good governance, disclosed the statistics at a press conference at the capital's Jatiya Press Club yesterday.

It accumulated information of 1,842 contestants from their affidavits and tax return certificates submitted to the Election Commission. A total of 1,871 contestants are vying for the December 30 polls, it said.

According to Shujan findings, of the 299 grand alliance candidates, 241 possess wealth worth more than Tk one crore.

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On the other hand, 150 out of 287 BNP-backed candidates have wealth worth similar amounts. In total, 497 candidates are have assets worth more than Tk one crore.

The findings say 173 candidates are borrowers, of whom 89 took loans over Tk one crore. Among the contestants surveyed, 710 are taxpayers, of whom 199 are from the grand alliance, and 181 from opposition parties.

Of the 1,842 aspirants, annual incomes of 223 are Tk 50 lakh or more, while 951 candidates have annual incomes of Tk five lakh or less.

As many as 961 or 52.17 percent of polls aspirants are businesspersons, Shujan found. Of the candidates with business background, 184 are contesting with opposition tickets, while the ruling alliance has fielded 180 contestants from the profession.

It said Left Democratic Alliance has fielded 43 candidates with business background, Islami Andolon Bangladesh 123 candidates, and the other political parties 364 candidates. Some 67 independent candidates are also businesspersons.

In terms of educational qualification, 1,195 or 64.87 percent candidates are graduates, including 242 candidates from AL-led alliance and 230 candidates from BNP-led alliance.

When it comes to criminal charges, an overwhelming 177 candidates of the BNP-led alliance are facing police cases at present, of the total of 313.

On the other hand, only 20 AL-led candidates are facing police cases.

Of the opposition candidates, 41 are facing criminal charges under section 302 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

Shujan Secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar said scrutinising wealth statements of candidates is an important task of the Election Commission.

The EC is empowered to cancel candidacy of any aspirant for concealing information in the affidavit and tax return certificate, he said, adding even parliamentary seats of those who will be elected through the polls can be cancelled later.

“Hopefully, the EC will properly scrutinise the information after the election,” he added.