Seat allocation among Jamaat, NCP and allies to be finalised after candidate withdrawals

The 11-party alliance, including Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizen Party (NCP) has yet to finalise seat-sharing arrangements, nearly a month after initial discussions began.

Talks started on 3 December last year, but progress has been slow. The entry of three new parties and the rejection of several candidates' nomination papers have further delayed final agreements, which are expected only after the official withdrawal deadline of 20 January.

As a result, no conclusive seat-sharing decision is expected before the Election Commission's appeal hearings or the candidacy withdrawal deadline, party insiders say. Some constituencies may remain open, allowing all alliance members to field candidates, despite the parties running joint programmes under five shared demands since October.

Mia Golam Porwar, secretary general of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, told The Business Standard on Tuesday evening, "It cannot be determined how many seats the parties will ultimately agree upon until nominations are withdrawn. We will have to wait until the final withdrawal date on 20 January."

Several senior leaders of the alliance explained that preliminary discussions began on 3 December. Initial talks were conducted bilaterally before moving to joint deliberations. The entry of NCP and LDP has extended the negotiation process, and some constituencies may remain open if consensus is not reached, allowing all member parties to field candidates. At this stage, it is not possible to specify with certainty which party will contest which seat.

A senior leader of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, led by Mamunul Haque, told The Business Standard that talks with Jamaat are ongoing. "Initially, we wanted to field one candidate per district, but we adjusted to accommodate NCP and LDP," he said.

Mamunul Haque added that the discussions continue in consideration of national interest and broader political unity. "At the same time, we have set realistic bare minimum targets based on our party's political stance and organisational strength. Regardless of the final agreement, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis will contest certain seats under its own symbol, the rickshaw."

Other Khelafat Majlis leaders noted that only 30–35% of constituencies have tentative agreements so far, with talks continuing for the rest. Nothing is final until nomination withdrawals are completed.

Rashed Pradhan, spokesperson and vice president of the Jatiya Ganatantrik Party, said, "New issues have emerged, particularly with several alliance candidates' nominations being rejected. Appeals will follow, and we must consider backup candidates. Until appeals are resolved, seat-sharing cannot be finalised. However, discussions have progressed significantly, and there is no risk of the alliance breaking."

Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami has submitted nominations for 274 constituencies. The remaining 24 seats have been allocated to other alliance partners, including seven seats to NCP, two to Bangladesh Development Party in Bhola and Mymensingh, five to Mamunul Haque of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, five to Khelafat Majlis, two to Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party led by Muzibur Rahman Manju, one to LDP in Chattogram-14, and one each to Islami Andolon in Narsingdi-5 and independent candidate Saeed Ansari in Madaripur-2.

Islamic Movement Bangladesh spokesperson Maulana Gazi Ataur Rahman said, "Discussions are ongoing. We have coordinated at the Election Commission and divisional levels. Understanding among parties is strong, and all members are committed to maintaining the agreement."