BNP has yet to reach a final settlement on seat-sharing with its alliance partners and nominations for its own candidates for the upcoming 13th parliamentary election.
The party’s central leadership had earlier issued strict instructions that no nomination papers should be submitted in constituencies earmarked for prospective alliance candidates. However, defying that directive, multiple BNP leaders filed nomination papers in several seats.
Last-minute decisions to change candidates left many party leaders uncertain, while others submitted their nomination papers amid visible frustration and disappointment. In some areas, protest marches were organised in support of leaders denied nominations.
Senior party leaders have expressed anger at those who contested nominations in defiance of the high command’s instructions.
Monday marked the deadline for submitting nomination papers. However, as candidates have until 20 January to withdraw, BNP hopes to resolve outstanding disputes through meetings with its alliance partners during this period. Only then will it become clear how many of the 300 parliamentary seats the party is prepared to leave for its allies.
Nomination papers have been submitted on behalf of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in Dinajpur-3, Bogura-7 and Feni-1. Given her health condition, the party has also kept alternative candidates ready in all three constituencies.
In contrast, no nomination papers were filed in Bogura-6 and Dhaka-17 by anyone other than BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman.
In Bogura-2, the alliance has nominated Mahmudur Rahman Manna, president of Nagorik Oikya. However, amid concerns that his nomination could be rejected due to loan default issues, Mir Shahe Alam, president of Shibganj upazila BNP, has also submitted his nomination papers as a precaution.
In Brahmanbaria-2, BNP’s alliance partner Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam’s Maulana Junayed Al Habib submitted his nomination papers to contest the seat with the “date palm” symbol. However, despite not receiving the party nomination, BNP International Affairs deputy-secretary Rumeen Farhana also filed her nomination papers in the constituency.
Party insiders believe that if Junayed Al Habib’s nomination is rejected, Rumeen Farhana could emerge as the BNP candidate. Even if she were to win as an independent, she could later be brought back into the party fold.
In Netrakona-4, former state minister for Home Affairs Lutfozzaman Babar and his wife, Tahmina Zaman Shraboni, both submitted nomination papers. The move was aimed at ensuring that his wife could contest the seat in the event of Babar’s nomination being rejected.
To maximise its chances of victory, BNP made last-minute candidate changes in at least 15 constituencies, with major adjustments concentrated in the Dhaka and Chattogram regions. In Dhaka-17, Andaleeve Rahman Partho, chairman of Bangladesh Jatiya Party, who had begun campaigning there as an alliance candidate, was eventually shifted to Bhola-1. Dhaka-12 was ceded to alliance partner Saiful Haque of the Revolutionary Workers Party.
In Narayanganj-5, Abul Kalam was nominated after Masuduzzaman expressed reluctance to contest the seat. In Chattogram’s Raozan constituency, the replacement of Giasuddin Quader Chowdhury with Golam Akbar Khondaker as the BNP nominee has triggered intense factional conflict in the area.
In Chattogram-14, BNP had initially kept the seat open for the son of LDP Chairman Oli Ahmad, but after Oli joined a different alliance, the party nominated Jasim Uddin instead. In Chattogram-4, Aslam Chowdhury replaced Kazi Salahuddin as the BNP candidate, while Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury was shifted from Chattogram-10 to contest Chattogram-11. The Chattogram-10 ticket was ultimately awarded to Syaeed Al Noman.
In Brahmanbaria-4, Kabir Ahmed Bhuiyan submitted nomination papers alongside Mushfiqur Rahman. In Munshiganj-2, Abdus Salam Azad replaced Mizanur Rahman Sinha, while in Munshiganj-3, Mohiuddin Ahmed was nominated in place of Kamruzzaman Ratan.
In Jhenaidah-1, recently resigned Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman was fielded as the party’s candidate. In Narail-2, the decision to nominate alliance partner Fariduzzaman Farhad instead of a BNP candidate triggered protest marches in the area, where the party has also kept an alternative candidate in the race.
Meanwhile, in Jhenaidah-4, local BNP leaders and activists have been protesting against Rasheed Khan of Gono Odhikar Parishad. In Sirajganj, deprived aspirants submitted nomination papers en masse across all six constituencies, with Sirajganj-6 recording the highest number of candidates at 13. They have warned that they will contest the election as independents if they are denied party nominations.
Commenting on the situation, BNP Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan told TIMES of Bangladesh that, as a major political party, BNP has many capable leaders. “It is natural to have multiple aspirants in a single constituency,” he said, expressing confidence that the disputes would be resolved through dialogue before the nomination withdrawal deadline.
