Parties under Jatiya Oikyafront, 20-party alliance expecting tickets for over 100 seats

BNP in soup over seat sharing with partners

Picking right candidate another challenge for the party

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is facing the daunting task of picking up and accommodating suitable candidates from the party and its two alliance partners. The BNP, major partner in both the Jatiya Oikyafront and the 20-Party Alliance, has to finalise party candidates, pick up new candidates in a number of seats and accommodate candidates of alliance partners replacing its own, according to party insiders.

The BNP, which is now interviewing the party’s highest number of 4,580 aspirants, has to first finalise its single candidates in all the 300 constituencies. On average, there are about 15 nomination hopefuls against each constituency including former ministers, lawmakers, central leaders and youth leaders.

So, it will be a tough job to select the right candidates considering their dedication, leadership and contribution to the party, said the party leaders.

Also, the BNP, which had boycotted the last general election, has to pick up new candidates in about two dozen seats, where the party’s former ministers or lawmakers have either passed away or are abroad, or behind bars on various grounds, or have left the party.

The former ministers and lawmakers who have passed away after the ninth parliamentary polls include M Saifur Rahman, Tariqul Islam, ASM Hannan Shah, M Shamsul Islam, MK Anwar, Fazlur Rahman Patal, Harun-or-Rashid Khan Munnu, Akhter Hamid Siddiqui, Syed Wahidul Alam, Mojaher Hossain  and Nasiruddin Pintu.

The former ministers, MPs, or party stalwarts who are living abroad on various grounds and cannot return home include the party's acting chairman Tarique Rahman, Salahuddin Ahmed, Sadeque Hossain Khoka, Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad.

Besides, many party leaders, including Abdus Salam Pintu and Lufozzaman Babar, who are serving different jail terms, cannot

take part in the elections, said the party insiders. The third challenge for the party is to accommodate candidates of the Jatiya Oikyafront and the 20-Party Alliance, where over 25 political parties and they are expecting tickets for over 100 constituencies.

Party insiders said the alliance partners are likely to get tickets for around 60-70 constituencies. The party leaders are also worried whether some of their selected candidates will be disqualified for various reasons.

Many leaders, however, said these would not be major challenges for the party. Rather, they consider taking part in the election with party chairperson Khaleda Zia in prison and acting chairman Tarique Rahman in exile as a major crisis for the party.

The leaders said the party would first finalise the party’s own candidates from among the most suitable ones. It would then start talks with the alliance partners to share seats.

All the parties in both the alliances want a single candidate in all the 300 constituencies. So, most suitable candidates would be chosen from either the party or the alliances, said the leaders.

The BNP leadership also decided filing of nomination forms by more than one candidate for each constituency so that they can field the  alternative candidate in case some candidature is rejected, the leaders added.

Regarding accommodation of alliance partners, the leaders said the BNP is ready to make maximum concession to accommodate suitable and winable candidates, irrespective of the parties in the two alliances.

Standing committee member Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said they would finalise the party’s own candidates first and then would get together with the alliance partners for seat-sharing through talks.

“I think, seat sharing among alliance partners won’t be a major problem as we’ll prefer candidates who have the most chance to win,” he added.

BNP vice-chairman Shamsuzzaman Dudu admitted that fielding the right candidate from among the thousands of aspirants and sharing seats among the partners in the two alliances are tough jobs for the party.  

He, however, said the BNP has taken up the challenge to take part in the polls despite politicisation of the police and administration by the government. “We have taken all obstacles as a challenge an will continue our efforts till the last for a meaningful election. But if the election is foiled for any reason, the government and the EC will have to take the blame for  that,” he added.

The leader accused the government and the EC of trying to turn the election into a mockery.       

He criticised the EC for verifying election officials at the ground level through the police and setting conditions for observers and election officials. He termed this as politicisation of the electoral process.  

BNP joint secretary Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal said they would consider all the appropriate candidates from among the two alliances. He claimed partners in the two alliances are reasonable about seat sharing this time, adding that no political party is arguing about seats.   

 

Parties under Jatiya Oikyafront, 20-party alliance expecting tickets for over 100 seats

BNP in soup over seat sharing with partners

Picking right candidate another challenge for the party

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is facing the daunting task of picking up and accommodating suitable candidates from the party and its two alliance partners. The BNP, major partner in both the Jatiya Oikyafront and the 20-Party Alliance, has to finalise party candidates, pick up new candidates in a number of seats and accommodate candidates of alliance partners replacing its own, according to party insiders. The BNP, which is now interviewing the partys highest number of 4,580 aspirants, has to first finalise its single candidates in all the 300 constituencies. On average, there are about 15 nomination hopefuls against each constituency including former ministers, lawmakers, central leaders and youth leaders. So, it will be a tough job to select the right candidates considering their dedication, leadership and contribution to the party, said the party leaders. Also, the BNP, which had boycotted the last general election, has to pick up new candidates in about two dozen seats, where the partys former ministers or lawmakers have either passed away or are abroad, or behind bars on various grounds, or have left the party. The former ministers and lawmakers who have passed away after the ninth parliamentary polls include M Saifur Rahman, Tariqul Islam, ASM Hannan Shah, M Shamsul Islam, MK Anwar, Fazlur Rahman Patal, Harun-or-Rashid Khan Munnu, Akhter Hamid Siddiqui, Syed Wahidul Alam, Mojaher Hossain and Nasiruddin Pintu. The former ministers, MPs, or party stalwarts who are living abroad on various grounds and cannot return home include the partys acting chairman Tarique Rahman, Salahuddin Ahmed, Sadeque Hossain Khoka, Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad. Besides, many party leaders, including Abdus Salam Pintu and Lufozzaman Babar, who are serving different jail terms, cannot take part in the elections, said the party insiders. The third challenge for the party is to accommodate candidates of the Jatiya Oikyafront and the 20-Party Alliance, where over 25 political parties and they are expecting tickets for over 100 constituencies. Party insiders said the alliance partners are likely to get tickets for around 60-70 constituencies. The party leaders are also worried whether some of their selected candidates will be disqualified for various reasons. Many leaders, however, said these would not be major challenges for the party. Rather, they consider taking part in the election with party chairperson Khaleda Zia in prison and acting chairman Tarique Rahman in exile as a major crisis for the party. The leaders said the party would first finalise the partys own candidates from among the most suitable ones. It would then start talks with the alliance partners to share seats. All the parties in both the alliances want a single candidate in all the 300 constituencies. So, most suitable candidates would be chosen from either the party or the alliances, said the leaders. The BNP leadership also decided filing of nomination forms by more than one candidate for each constituency so that they can field the alternative candidate in case some candidature is rejected, the leaders added. Regarding accommodation of alliance partners, the leaders said the BNP is ready to make maximum concession to accommodate suitable and winable candidates, irrespective of the parties in the two alliances. Standing committee member Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said they would finalise the partys own candidates first and then would get together with the alliance partners for seat-sharing through talks. I think, seat sharing among alliance partners wont be a major problem as well prefer candidates who have the most chance to win, he added. BNP vice-chairman Shamsuzzaman Dudu admitted that fielding the right candidate from among the thousands of aspirants and sharing seats among the partners in the two alliances are tough jobs for the party. He, however, said the BNP has taken up the challenge to take part in the polls despite politicisation of the police and administration by the government. We have taken all obstacles as a challenge an will continue our efforts till the last for a meaningful election. But if the election is foiled for any reason, the government and the EC will have to take the blame for that, he added. The leader accused the government and the EC of trying to turn the election into a mockery. He criticised the EC for verifying election officials at the ground level through the police and setting conditions for observers and election officials. He termed this as politicisation of the electoral process. BNP joint secretary Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal said they would consider all the appropriate candidates from among the two alliances. He claimed partners in the two alliances are reasonable about seat sharing this time, adding that no political party is arguing about seats.