Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed on Wednesday said the interim government will not allow the loan defaulters to contest the next parliamentary election scheduled for February 2026.

“If political leaders encourage nomination and voting in exchange of money there’s nothing the Finance Ministry can do, ” the adviser said  at the launch of the “UPension” app, organised by the National Pension Authority at the Finance Ministry.

He also said that the ministry will extend all necessary cooperation to improve the law and order situation for holding a good election in February.

According to the current law loan defaulters cannot contest the elections.

Under Article 12 of the Representation of the People Order, 1972, a loan defaulter is ineligible to become a Member of Parliament.

“If one is a defaulter, they cannot run for office,” Salehuddin said adding that this provision is often misused ahead of polls.

“The Election Commission should identify the loan defaulters,” he said.

Citing an example, he said former Awami League minister Mahiuddin Khan Alamgir served five years despite being a defaulter.

Asked about measures to curb the use of black money in the polls, the adviser said, “The matter has not yet come to us, the Election Commission will consider it.”

He mentioned that there are two aspects of black money — the source and the process.

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“The source is now more or less blocked compared to past times. Earlier, the same person could be a bank owner, factory owner, newspaper owner, and flat owner. That’s no longer the case. Now there is some check and balance.”

About the remarks made NCP’s chief coordinator Nasir Uddin Patwary  on Tuesday that “there will be no election in February,” the finance adviser said, “Let them make political statements.”

The Adviser said he used to do leftist politics in his student life.“I also made many statements like — shut down the hall, close the university, and so on. Did they ever shut down?”