BNP places a list of 298 party and alliance candidates

Dhaka, Dec 9 – Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the arch-rival of the ruling Awami League, on Sunday submitted before the Election Commission a list of 298 candidates from among the party and partners of its two alliances-Jatiya Oikya Front and 20-party alliance. The list signed by BNP chairperson’s private secretary ABM Abdus Sattar mentioned the names of registered political parties along with their candidates but the identity of candidates from unregistered political parties including Jamaat shown as BNP.
The BNP fielded its own candidates in 242 constituencies while the party shared 58 seats with its partners of which 56 on the sheaf of paddy and rest two on their respective poll symbols.
Of the two, Col (Retd) Oli Ahmed of LDP will take part in the elections from the Chattogram-14 constituency with his party symbol ‘umbrella’ and Hamidur Rahman Azad of Jamaat as an independent candidate from Cox’s Bazar-2 constituency.
Of them, Jamaat-e-Islami obtained the highest number of 22 seats and the rest were given to other partners of the two alliances.
The BNP, however, will extend support to the candidates and did not field any candidate in the two seats.
Earlier in the day, the party submitted a list before the Election Commission of 26 alliance candidates convening the commission that they would contest the forthcoming 11th parliamentary polls with the sheaf of paddy, the election symbol of the BNP.
BNP chairperson’s media wing officer Shairul Kabir Khan submitted the list of 26 candidates of eight registered political parties of the two alliances informing that they would contest the polls with the sheaf of paddy.
Of them, there are seven candidates of the Nano forum, four each of LDP, JSD and Krishak Sramik Janata League each, three of Jamiat-e-Ulamaye Islam, two of KHelafat Majlish and one each of Kallayan Party and Bangladesh Jatiya Party.
This time all the 28 registered and unregistered political parties under the banner of Jatiya Oikya Front and 20-party alliance decided to take part in the elections slated for December 30 with the sheaf of paddy.
The BNP delayed to disclose the names of final candidates of the party and its partners in both the Jatiya Oikya Front and 20-party alliance as it failed to reach an understanding with some of its allies including Jamaat-e-Islami and faces protest from the aggrieved aspirants.
The supporters of some party aspirants yesterday continued staging a demonstration in front of BNP chairperson’s political office in Gulshan for third days. The party, however, brought some changes in its candidates announced before.
The ruling Awami League also yesterday disclosed the names of all of its final party candidates leaving 29 seats for the Jatiya Party (Ershad) and 14 others to rest of the grand alliance partners
including Bikalpa Dhara.
The 26 alliance candidates of the eight registered political parties who will contest the polls with the sheaf of paddy are: Ganoforum leaders AMSA Amin for Kurigram-2, Prof Abu Sayed for-Pabna-1, AHM Khalequzzaman for Mymensingh-8, Subrata Chowdhury for Dhaka-6, Mostafa Mohsin Montu for Dhaka-7, Sultan Mohammed Mansur for Moulavibazar-2 and Reza Kibria for Habiganj-1 constituencies.
LDP leaders Syed Mahmud Morshed will contest the polls from Mymensingh-, Rezwan Ahmed from Cumilla-7, Md Shahadat Hossain from Luxmipur-1, Nurul Alam from Chattogram-7 constituencies.
ASM Abdur Rab of JSD will contest the polls from Luxmipur-4, Prof Saiful Islam from Kishoreganj-3, Shahiduddin Mahmud from Dhaka-18 and Abdul Malek Ratan from Cumilla-4 constituencies.
Jamiat-e-Ulamaye Islam candidates- Monir Hossain will contest the polls from Narayanganj-4, Shahinur Rahman Pasha from Sunamganj-3, Obaidullah Faruk from Sylhet-5 constituencies.
Besides, BKSJL candidates Mohammed Liakat Ali will contest the polls from Tangail-4, Kuri Siddiqui from Tangail-8, Iqbal Siddiqui from Gazipur-3 and Monjurul Islam from Natore-1 constituencies. Abdul Basid Azad of Khelafat Majlish will contest the polls from Habiganj-2 and
Ahmed Abdul Quader from Habiganj-4 constituencies. Syed Mohammed Ibrahim of Kallayn Party will take part in the election from Chattogram-5 and Andalib Rahman Partha of BJP from Dhaka-17 constituencies.
Shairul Kabir told reporters that the list of other candidates of the party and alliance candidates have been sent to the returning officers concerned.
The unregistered political parties in the two alliance including Jamaat-e-Islami are taking part in the elections with the sheaf of paddy and under the banner of BNP.
The candidates will receive poll symbol today and start the formal campaign for the election. – Staff Reporter