Jamaat's seat-sharing math among 11-party alliance still unsolved

Highlights

• At least 50 seats have candidates from more than one alliance partner
• Alliance partners still 'withdrawing candidates' despite end of deadline
• Jamaat announced plan to contest 215 seats, but has candidates in 224
• AB Party contesting 30 constituencies, even though was allocated 3
• Formally allocated 23, Khilafat Majlis has candidates in 34 constituencies
• LDP is contesting in 12 seats, despite being allocated 7
• NCP was allocated 30, running in 32

Despite a final announcement on seat-sharing among the 11-party alliance led by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizen Party (NCP), the numbers still do not add up.

In several constituencies that Jamaat-e-Islami had agreed to relinquish, alliance candidates are still being changed due to strong dissatisfaction at the grassroots level. Meanwhile, at least 50 constituencies continue to have candidates from more than one alliance partner.

Even on 23 and 24 January, days after the deadline for nomination withdrawal ended, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami applied to the Election Commission (EC) seeking the removal of its "scales" symbol from the ballot papers in seven constituencies across the country.

Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar sent letters in this regard to CEC AMM Nasir Uddin.

On 21 January, it was announced that out of the 300 parliamentary seats, Jamaat-e-Islami would contest 215 seats, the National Citizen Party (NCP) 30 seats, Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis 23 seats, Khilafat Majlis 10 seats, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) 7 seats, Bangladesh Nezam-e-Islam Party 3 seats, Amar Bangladesh Party (AB Party) 3 seats, and Bangladesh Development Party 2 seats.

However, although Jamaat was supposed to contest 215 seats, it currently has candidates in 224 constituencies.

While the NCP was officially allocated 29 seats exclusively and one seat as open, the party currently has candidates in 32 constituencies. In 13 of those 32 seats, candidates from alliance partners are also contesting.

Although no seats were allocated to the Jatiya Ganatantrik Party (Jagpa), the party is contesting in Jessore-1. Similarly, despite Jamaat not conceding any seat to Bangladesh Khilafat Andolon, the party is contesting in eight constituencies.

Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis has candidates in 34 constituencies, even though it was formally allocated only 23 seats in the alliance deal.

Likewise, Khilafat Majlis has fielded candidates in 21 constituencies, despite receiving only 10 seats officially.

Amar Bangladesh Party (AB Party) has candidates contesting under the Eagle symbol in 30 constituencies, even though it was allocated only three seats.

Colonel Oli Ahmed's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is contesting in 12 seats, despite being allocated only seven.

The most recent addition to the alliance, Bangladesh Labour Party, is contesting in 15 constituencies, even though no official seat allocation has been announced for it.

Only the Bangladesh Development Party and Bangladesh Nezam-e-Islam Party are contesting strictly within their allocated seats – two and three seats respectively.

Rival alliance candidates in NCP constituencies

NCP is contesting 30 seats under the 11-party alliance. Although one seat was declared open, alliance partners continue to field candidates in at least 11 additional constituencies.

While Jamaat is withdrawing candidates from Chattogram-8 and Narsingdi-2, Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis candidates have not withdrawn from Narayanganj-4, Dhaka-20, and Rajbari-2. The AB Party remains in the race in Sirajganj-6, while Khilafat Majlis candidates are also contesting in Cumilla-4.

Additionally, Bangladesh Labour Party is contesting in Panchagarh-1, and Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis in Rangpur-4. AB Party has a candidate in Kurigram-2, LDP in Dhaka-19, Khilafat Majlis in Cumilla-4, and Bangladesh Khilafat Andolon in Netrokona-2.

Expressing frustration, an NCP leader said, "Even if there is no coordination gap at the top level of the alliance, it is far worse at the grassroots. There was no central coordination on candidate withdrawals, which is why Jamaat and several other parties have failed to withdraw candidates in many constituencies."

LDP withdraws in Bhola, backs Jamaat candidate

In Bhola-2 (Daulatkhan–Borhanuddin), Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) nominee Mokfar Uddin Chowdhury withdrew from the upcoming parliamentary election in support of the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami candidate.

In an announcement made on 25 January at Bhola Press Club, LDP District President Bashir Ahmed said that considering alliance unity, harmony, and broader political interests, Mokfar Uddin Chowdhury voluntarily decided to withdraw in favour of Jamaat candidate Maulana Mufti Fazlul Karim.

A Jamaat activist from Bhola, Abdul Karim, said that although the LDP was initially the final candidate under the 10-party alliance, there was widespread dissatisfaction among Jamaat leaders and activists. Eventually, as the LDP candidate found it difficult to campaign effectively, he chose to support Jamaat, even though Jamaat had centrally agreed to relinquish the seat.

While the alliance is still working on its seat-sharing deal, there is no official way to withdraw nomination at this stage as the deadline expired on 20 January.

A letter in this regard, signed by EC Deputy Secretary Mohammad Monir Hossain, was sent yesterday to the secretary general of Jamaat-e-Islami saying there is no scope to withdraw election symbols now.

The letter states, "Under Article 16(2) of the Representation of the People Order, 1972, if a registered political party nominates more than one candidate, the party president, general secretary, or another person holding an equivalent position must, through a written notice signed by them, inform the returning officer – either personally or through an authorised representative – of the party's final nominee on or before the date of withdrawal of candidacy. Once this is done, the candidacies of the party's other nominees stand cancelled.

"In this context, there is no provision for withdrawing election symbols at this stage."

Jamaat had sought symbol withdrawal in seven constituencies: Chattogram-8, Narsingdi-2, Bhola-2, Narsingdi-3, Narayanganj-3, Sunamganj-1, and Chattogram-12.