Jamaat names Hindu candidate for Khulna-1; set to nominate more from religious, ethnic minorities

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami nominated Krishna Nandi, president of the party's Hindu committee in Dumuria Upazila, as the candidate for the Khulna-1 (Dakop–Batiaghata) constituency.

With this, the party has started implementing its plan to nominate candidates from different communities including non-Muslims, ethnic groups, women, members of civil society, those injured in the mass uprising, members of martyr families, and former VP – GS of student unions.

It has been learnt that in more than 20 constituencies, candidates beyond party leadership may contest the election under the Jamaat banner. A party election team is working on making changes to its preliminary list of candidates for the national election.

Last Monday, the party changed its candidate for the Habiganj-4 (Chunarughat–Madhabpur) seat, replacing the member of the central Majlish-e-Shura and the Habiganj district Ameer, and nominated journalist Wali Ullah Noman. He was a senior journalist at the daily Amar Desh.

The nomination of Krishna comes after Jamaat Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman told a gathering on 28 November, addressing non-Muslims, "You will remain safe if we are given the opportunity to run Bangladesh. In the upcoming election, some of you will contest the parliamentary seat on behalf of Jamaat-e-Islami. Through this we want to bring the nation to a place of unity. We are burying the path of division."

Krishna Nandi told TBS last night, "My candidacy was formally announced today. From tomorrow I will start working on the election campaign." 

He added that he has been involved in Jamaat's politics since 2007. During the Awami League government's repression, he remained with Jamaat activists in the soil of Khulna.

Jamaat's Assistant Secretary General Ehsanul Mahbub Zobayer told The Business Standard that they will finalise candidates from non-Muslims, women, civil society, and ethnic groups outside the party ranks within this week. The party is trying to present an inclusive list of candidates for governing the country.

When asked how many constituencies may have such candidates, he said, "It is not yet possible to state specifically. Review is ongoing, and the decision will be announced after meetings."

Jamaat-related sources say that names being discussed include freedom fighter and Magura district non-Muslim wing president Shree Pareshkanti Saha for Magura-2, Dr Sushanta Kumar Biswas from Magura Sadar Hospital for Magura-1, local teacher Shree Tapanmohan Chakraborty for Panchagarh-1, and Hindu Mahajote secretary general Advocate Shree Gobinda Chandra Pramanik.

Among women, the party is considering Professor Nurunnisa Siddiqua, secretary of the central women's wing; Buet teacher Mardia Momtaz; central working committee member and former MP Dr Amina Rahman; former MP Shahan Ara Begum; and women's wing assistant secretary Barrister Sabikun Nahar for the election.

An eight-member election team led by the party's Secretary General Professor Mia Golam Porwar is working on candidate selection. Two members of this team, Nayebe Ameer Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher and Assistant Secretary General Hamidur Rahman Azad, formed another committee on 4 November to work on election frameworks and negotiations with other political parties.

They will include eight allied parties involved in the movement and people from various sectors to finalise the candidate list across all 300 seats after the declaration of the election schedule.

On Tuesday, Assistant Secretary General Hamidur Rahman Azad told The Business Standard that they are working on candidate selection.

Hamidur said that outside party leaders and activists, between 15 and 20 candidates – or even more – may receive nominations. 

Jamaat leaders have said that beyond these changes, the preliminary list across the country will also be revised. In Gazipur-6, the candidate has already been changed to former Shibir leader Hafizur Rahman, and in Lalmonirhat-3, a new candidate, Advocate Abu Taher, has been nominated.