BNP announces candidates for 36 more constituencies
"The remaining seats have been kept aside for our alliances," Fakhrul says
The BNP has announced a primary list of candidates for 36 more constituencies ahead of the upcoming 13th national parliamentary election, raising its total declared seats to 262.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir revealed the names at a press conference held at the party chairperson's office in Gulshan today (4 December).
The senior BNP leader said, "Earlier, we announced primary candidates for 236 seats, and today we are declaring 36 more. After discussions, the remaining seats have been kept aside for our alliances."
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In response to a question, he said, "The possibility of changes in the declared constituencies is very low."
The constituencies are Thakurgaon-2, Dinajpur-5, Naogaon-5, Natore-3, Sirajganj-1, Jashore-5, Narail-2, Khulna-1, Patuakhali-2, Barishal-3, Jhalokathi-1, Tangail-5, Mymensingh-4, Kishoreganj-1 and 5, Manikganj-1, Munshiganj-3, Dhaka-7, 9, 10 and 18, Gazipur-1, Rajbari-2, Faridpur-1, Madaripur-1 and 2, Sunamganj-2 and 4, Sylhet-4, Habiganj-1, Cumilla-2, Chattogram-3, 6, 9 and 15, and Cox's Bazar-2.
Earlier, on 3 November, the BNP released a primary list of candidates for 237 constituencies. However, the nomination for Madaripur-1 was suspended a day later.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is set to contest from Dinajpur-3, Bogura-7, and Feni-1, while the party's acting chairman Tarique Rahman has been nominated for Bogura-6 for the election scheduled to be held in February next year.
On 2 December, Election Commissioner Anwarul Islam Sarkar told The Business Standard that the schedule for the upcoming 12th national parliamentary election will be announced within 11 December and the national polls will likely be held in the second week of February.
The commission had previously announced that the election must take place in the first half of February, ahead of Ramadan.
The holding of the national election has been a long-standing subject of discussion among political parties and the public across the country.
