BNP names nominations for 237 seats: Khaleda back to polls as Tarique debuts
63 Vacant seats spark speculation over possible alliance
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is set to contest from Dinajpur-3, Bogura-7, and Feni-1 constituencies, while the party's acting chairman Tarique Rahman has been nominated for Bogura-6 in the upcoming 13th national election to be held in February next year.
The party's Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced a primary list of candidates for 237 constituencies following a meeting of the National Standing Committee at the BNP chairperson's office in the capital's Gulshan today (3 November).
Khaleda, who served as the country's prime minister three times, has not contested in an election since 2008, and for her son, Tarique Rahman – who has been the de facto leader of the party since 2018 – this one is going to be the first.
Among other notable candidates are Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Mahmud Hasan Khan for Chuadanga-2, former FBCCI president Abdul Awal Mintoo for Feni-3, and BNP leader Ishraque Hossain for Dhaka-6.
Seven constituencies in Dhaka have been left vacant, sparking speculation over which allies the BNP might share these seats with.
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BNP Standing Committee members: Who contests where?
Party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir will contest from Thakurgaon-1, while Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain has been nominated for Cumilla-1. Mirza Abbas will stand from Dhaka-8, and Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, a standing committee member, has been nominated for Dhaka-3.
In Narsingdi-2, Abdul Moin Khan has been selected, and Ameer Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury will represent the party in Chattogram-10. Salah Uddin Ahmed has received the nomination for Cox's Bazar-1, while Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku will contest Sirajganj-2.
Meanwhile, Hafiz Uddin Ahmed will run from Bhola-3, and AZM Zahid Hossain has been nominated for Dinajpur-6.
Shafiqul Islam to contest Dhaka-15 seat against Jamaat chief
BNP leader and former Jubo Dal general secretary Shafiqul Islam Khan Milton has been nominated for the Dhaka-15 constituency.
In this constituency, he will face Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman as his main rival, sources said.
Fazlur Rahman nominated for Kishoreganj-4
BNP chairperson's advisory council member Fazlur Rahman has been nominated for the Kishoreganj-4 constituency.
Some of his recent political remarks caused controversy, leading to BNP serving him a show cause notice in August. He also got suspended from all party posts for three months.
Fazlur, who joined the BNP in 2007, previously served as the president of the party's Kishoreganj district unit for nearly eight years.
He contested twice from Kishoreganj-4 during Awami League rule. During that time, he reportedly faced political harassment and legal cases, including a sedition charge, which eventually forced him to remain abroad for an extended period.
Vacant seats spark speculation over possible alliance
The BNP is yet to announce nominees for 63 constituencies in its primary candidates' list for the upcoming national election. Fakhrul said candidates in these constituencies will be finalised through discussions among BNP and its alliance partners.
On Sunday, Tarique Rahman in a virtual programme said BNP has decided to support some candidates from other democratic parties that took part in the anti-fascist movement alongside BNP.
According to unverified sources, BNP has left the seats vacant for the following political leaders: Jonayed Saki, chief coordinator of the Ganosamhati Andolon, for Brahmanbaria-6; Mahmudur Rahman Manna, president of Nagorik Oikya, for Bogura-2; Andaleeve Rahman Partha, chairman of the Bangladesh National Party (BJP), for Dhaka-17; Mustafa Jamal Haider, chairman of the Jatiya Party (Zafar), for Pirojpur-1; Shahadat Hossain Selim, chairman of the Bangladesh Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), for Lakshmipur-1; Syed Ehsanul Huda, chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Movement (BNM), for Kishoreganj-5; Bobby Hajjaj, chairman of the National Democratic Movement (NDM), for Dhaka-13; Professor Omar Faruk, son of Colonel (retd) Oli Ahmed and LDP chairman, for Chattogram-14; Dr Redwan Ahmed, secretary general of the party, for Cumilla-7; Dr Fariduzzaman Farhad, coordinator of the Nationalist Like-Minded Alliance and chairman of NPP, for Narail-2; Nurul Haque Nur, president of the Gana Odhikar Parishad, for Patuakhali-3; and Rashed Khan, general secretary of the same party, for Jhenaidah-2.
List announced after Standing Committee meeting
The Standing Committee meeting began at 12:30pm and ended around 5:30pm. Tarique Rahman presided over the meeting virtually from London.
Apart from Fakhrul, those present at the meeting were Standing Committee members Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Abdul Moyeen Khan, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, Selina Rahman, Major (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, and Dr AZM Zahid Hossain.
The party's divisional organising secretaries were also present at the office during the meeting.
The meeting came a day after Tarique, during a programme on Sunday, 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.
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 party's 'sheaf of paddy' symbol.
Meanwhile, supporters of BNP leader Aslam Chowdhury blocked both the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway and the rail line at multiple points last night, in protest of the party's nomination of Kazi Salah Uddin for the Chattogram-4 (Sitakunda) constituency.
