Jamaat fully prepared for election, BNP still deciding candidates, NCP busy organising district units

Ahead of the national election expected in February, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has finalised its list of candidates and launched full-scale campaigning. BNP is also expected to finalise its candidates within this month. National Citizen Party (NCP), on the other hand, is working on forming district and metropolitan convening committees within a month.

Alongside potential candidates, party activists of Jamaat are going door to door distributing leaflets, seeking votes for their nominees, and even delivering voter numbers to households.

Multiple aspirants in the same constituencies, as well as factional divisions within the party, have slowed BNP's election preparations. Nomination hopefuls are busy lobbying for party endorsement and running individual campaigns, making internal rivalries and group politics increasingly visible. This has created uncertainty among grassroots activists, supporters, and voters. Nomination aspirants are campaigning locally while also rushing to the party's central office in hopes of securing the ticket.

Meanwhile, NCP, formed by student leaders who spearheaded the July Uprising, is still undergoing uncertainty with regard to its election symbol.

Jamaat is fully in campaign mode

Several voters in Dhaka said Jamaat workers had visited their flats seeking votes and distributing voter numbers. So far, no BNP workers have approached them, they added. Jamaat has also set up banners and billboards in busy public areas, while no similar activities were seen from BNP, NCP, or other parties.

Despite demanding elections under a proportional representation (PR) system, Jamaat has already named candidates for nearly 300 constituencies since November last year. Its nominees are now actively working in their respective parliamentary areas.

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According to party sources, Jamaat has formed a central election cell to coordinate with candidates, offer advice, guidance, and, when needed, training. The party has also established constituency-based election management teams.

At the grassroots level, Jamaat is focusing on education, healthcare, humanitarian aid, and religious engagement to build stronger community ties, while also using various strategies to attract young voters.

Advocate Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair, assistant secretary general of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, told The Business Standard, "We began announcing candidates almost a year ago in phases. The central election operations wing is monitoring their activities, and we're moving toward full readiness."

Regarding the selection process, he said, "We gathered opinions from grassroots leaders in every constituency — from union to district level — and prepared a panel of three names for each seat, from which the central nomination board picked one."

BNP hopefuls caught in uncertainty

Many BNP nomination seekers remain anxious and uncertain about their chances. But BNP leaders say the party's preparations are going on in full swing.

Barrister Nasir Uddin Ahmed Asim, BNP's international affairs secretary, told The Business Standard that the party has long been active on the ground. "BNP has been with the people for 17 years. Because multiple aspirants are contesting in each seat, the level of campaigning is quite high," he said.

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In Sylhet-6, BNP nomination hopeful and district committee member Faisal Ahmed said, "I contested in 2018, so I've been in preparation mode. Every day, I hold public meetings, courtyard discussions, medical camps, and worker gatherings. Our teams are working to spread BNP's 31-point reform agenda among the people."

Earlier, BNP standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed said, "BNP is a large democratic party with many competent candidates — sometimes 10 or 12 per seat. We're following a proper process, and will soon authorise one candidate per constituency to begin official campaigning."

NCP busy organising district committees

To organise its election preparations, NCP has appointed one organisational secretary for each division and instructed them to form district and metropolitan convening committees within a month.

A letter signed on 30 September by the party's conveners and member secretary stated that 10 central leaders were relieved from other duties and assigned as divisional organisational secretaries.

Those assigned include Dr Atik Mujahid (Rangpur), Imran Imon (Rajshahi), Ehtesham Haque (Sylhet), Ashekin Alam (Mymensingh), Saifullah Haidar (Dhaka), Nizam Uddin (Faridpur), SM Suza Uddin (Chattogram), Md Ataullah (Cumilla), Faridul Haque (Khulna), and Advocate Mujahidul Islam Shaheen (Barishal).

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Dhaka divisional secretary Saifullah Haidar told The Business Standard that over 50 upazila committees have already been formed, and district offices established in several areas, including Manikganj and Narsingdi. "Our election preparation is progressing quite actively — even before registration," he said, adding that activities in Rangpur are also advancing fast.

NCP joint convener Sarwar Tushar said, "We are conducting election assessments nationwide and holding internal discussions. No alliance talks have begun yet — first, we are evaluating our own strength and listing possible candidates. Alliance decisions will come later."

He added, "Every party is considering alliances. We will also contest as part of an alliance."

NCP will not accept registration without Shapla, says Nasiruddin Patwary after meeting CEC

Some NCP members said that while election preparations were discussed in the executive committee, the issue had not yet been raised in general meetings, though it may be discussed next week.

After a meeting with the Election Commission on Thursday over its demand for the Shapla (water lily) symbol, the party's chief coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary told The Business Standard, "The National Citizen Party (NCP) will not accept registration without the Shapla symbol. There is no point in joining the election without it."