BNP Standing Committee meeting underway, finalising nominations likely on agenda

The members of the BNP Standing Committee have convened an emergency meeting today (3 November).

Several senior BNP leaders said the meeting will mainly focus on finalising single candidates, reports UNB.

The meeting began at 12:30pm at the party chairperson's office in Gulshan, with BNP's Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman presiding virtually from London.

Among those present at the meeting are BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, and Standing Committee members Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Dr. Abdul Moyeen Khan, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, Selina Rahman, Major (Retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, and Dr AZM Zahid Hossain.

Meanwhile, the party's divisional organising secretaries are also present at the office during the meeting.

A press conference regarding the results of the meeting will be held at 3pm at the same venue, said BNP media cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan.

BNP's divisional organising secretaries have also been asked to attend the meeting at the Chairperson's office.

Several senior BNP leaders said the meeting will mainly focus on finalising single candidates for each constituency under the party and its alliance for the upcoming national election.

The meeting comes a day after Tarique Rahman announced that BNP would soon release the first phase of its nomination list while launching the party's new online payment gateway for membership renewal and registration at a programme held at a Gulshan hotel yesterday (2 November).

Tarique said it is not possible to nominate everyone, and BNP has also decided to support some candidates from other democratic parties that took part in the anti-fascist movement alongside BNP. "Because of this, some BNP aspirants may not get party nominations."

He urged all BNP leaders, workers, and supporters to accept this reality in the greater interest of the country, the people, and democracy.

"Whoever receives the nomination, please work unitedly to ensure their victory. Remember, a hidden dictatorship with secret ambitions is lurking around you. So do not let petty resentments, quarrels or disputes among yourselves reach a level where the opponent can take advantage of your differences," Tarique warned.

Party insiders said Tarique had held discussions with potential candidates from different divisions over the past two weeks at the Chairperson's office. He instructed all aspirants to support whoever is officially nominated with the 'sheaf of paddy' symbol.

Sources said the first list may include around 200 constituencies.

Earlier, BNP Standing Committee Member Salahuddin Ahmed told reporters that the party expected to publish its initial list of about 200 candidates in early November.

"All nominated and non-nominated aspirants must work together for the officially endorsed candidate," Salahuddin said.