Khaleda scrutinising list of party candidates for next polls

A list of about 900 potential candidates for 300 parliamentary constituencies is now in the hands of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia. She will choose the right candidates from among them to contest the next general elections, according to a highly placed source. The chairperson has collected the names of prospective candidates—three from each constituency—through grassroots-level leaders, including organising secretaries and district leaders, during the last few months. Only a candidate will be nominated and the other two will be kept as alternative candidates, said the source. Senior leaders of the party, however, said that in most cases, former BNP ministers, lawmakers and tested leaders would be given priority to contest the next polls likely to be held later in 2018 or early 2019. The BNP boycotted the last general election held on Jauary 5, 2014. But it will not boycott the polls this time. The party wants an inclusive election under an election-time supportive government, said party insiders. A senior leader, preferring anonymity, said their candidates and alternative candidates for all the 300 constituencies are ready. The party may give about 50 seats to its alliance partners, including Jamaat-e-Islami, and like-minded parties if they agree to take part in the polls from a common platform, he added.
When contacted, BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said the party chairperson and secretary general have already decided who will contest the next polls from which constituency. “Our candidates are ready. If need be, their names will be finalised within two to three hours,” he said.
Replying to a question, the former minister said those who are active in politics and can win an election would be given nominations to contest the polls. He also said is some constituencies, the BNP has eight to 10 prospective candidates, but the party will nominate the one who is most likely to win the election. He further said prominent leaders, former ministers and lawmakers would be given priority. There are more than one prospective candidates in each constituency, but the party nomination
board will determine who among them will get the party's candidature, he added.
However, one of the party's vice-presidents, preferring anonymity, told The Independent: "If there is indeed any plan, we don't know anything about it. Only Khaleda Zia and her son Tarique Ahmed have knowledge of the next course of action and the names of those who will be selected. The plan, if any, is present only in their heads."
He, however, said the party has enough efficient and tested candidates, and it would get a brute majority if the election is held in a free and fair manner.  
He said that 50 seats are likely to be distributed among the alliance partners including Jamaat and other like-minded parties.
According to the list, the party has selected 73 candidates for 33 constituencies of Rangpur division. In the list, only one or two candidate(s) has/have been selected for some constituencies.
The names of BNP standing committee member Barrister Jamiruddin Sircar and Panchagarh Sadar Poura mayor Md Touhidul Islam are enlisted as prospective candidates for Panchagarh-1 constituency.
Jagpa president Shafiul Alam Prodhan was the lone candidate for Panchagarh-2, but the name of Farhad Hossain Azad has been added for the constituency at the death of Prodhan. Besides, Barrister Nawshad Jamil, son of Jamiruddin Sircar, has been named as an alternative candidate for both Panchagarh-1 and Panchagarh-2 constituencies.
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is the lone candidate for Thakurgaon-1 constituency, while names of Mirza Alamgir, ZM Mortuza Chowdhury Tula and DAB leader Dr Abdus Salam have been mentioned as possible candidates for Thakurgaon-2.
The constituency-wise prospective candidates in Rangpur division are: Thakurgaon-3: Zahidur Rahman Zahid, Zaman Chowdhury and Ziaul Islam Zia; Dinajpur-1: Manjurul Islam and Mehedi Hasan Sumon; Dinajpur-2: Lt Gen (Retd) Mahbubur Rahman; Dinajpur-3: Jahangir Alam and Tahasin Akhter Don; Dinajpur-4: Akhteruzzaman MIah; Dinajpur-5: Rezwanul Haque and Khurshid Alam Moti; and Dinajpur-6: Prof. Lutfor Rahman Mintu.
In Khulna Division, Khulna district BNP general secretary Amir Ejaj and Latifur Rahman Labu are the prospective candidates for Khulna-1 constituency. The other prospective candidates in the division are: Khulna-2: Nazrul Islam Manju and Ali Asgor Loby; Khulna-3: SM Arifur Rahman Mithu; Rafiqul Islam Bakul and Kazi Sekander Dalim; Khulna-4: Azizul Bari Helal, Shah Kamal Taj and Shafiul Alam Manna; and Khulna-5: Dr Mamun Rahman, Gazi Abdul Haque and Khan Ali Mansur, Khulna-6: Advocate Momrejul Islam and Moniruzzaman Montu.
In Bagerhat, the prospective candidates are: Bagerhat-1: Shekh Mojibur Rahman, Advocate Shekh Wahiduzzaman Dipu and Sheikh Rabiul Alam; Bagerhat-2: MA Salam and Monirul Islam Khan; Bagerhat-3: Dr Faridul Islam and Julfiker Ali; Bagerhat-4: Kazi Khairuzzaman Shipon and Monirul Haque Farazi.

 

 

Khaleda scrutinising list of party candidates for next polls

A list of about 900 potential candidates for 300 parliamentary constituencies is now in the hands of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia. She will choose the right candidates from among them to contest the next general elections, according to a highly placed source. The chairperson has collected the names of prospective candidatesthree from each constituencythrough grassroots-level leaders, including organising secretaries and district leaders, during the last few months. Only a candidate will be nominated and the other two will be kept as alternative candidates, said the source. Senior leaders of the party, however, said that in most cases, former BNP ministers, lawmakers and tested leaders would be given priority to contest the next polls likely to be held later in 2018 or early 2019. The BNP boycotted the last general election held on Jauary 5, 2014. But it will not boycott the polls this time. The party wants an inclusive election under an election-time supportive government, said party insiders. A senior leader, preferring anonymity, said their candidates and alternative candidates for all the 300 constituencies are ready. The party may give about 50 seats to its alliance partners, including Jamaat-e-Islami, and like-minded parties if they agree to take part in the polls from a common platform, he added. When contacted, BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said the party chairperson and secretary general have already decided who will contest the next polls from which constituency. Our candidates are ready. If need be, their names will be finalised within two to three hours, he said. Replying to a question, the former minister said those who are active in politics and can win an election would be given nominations to contest the polls. He also said is some constituencies, the BNP has eight to 10 prospective candidates, but the party will nominate the one who is most likely to win the election. He further said prominent leaders, former ministers and lawmakers would be given priority. There are more than one prospective candidates in each constituency, but the party nomination board will determine who among them will get the partys candidature, he added. However, one of the partys vice-presidents, preferring anonymity, told The Independent: If there is indeed any plan, we dont know anything about it. Only Khaleda Zia and her son Tarique Ahmed have knowledge of the next course of action and the names of those who will be selected. The plan, if any, is present only in their heads. He, however, said the party has enough efficient and tested candidates, and it would get a brute majority if the election is held in a free and fair manner. He said that 50 seats are likely to be distributed among the alliance partners including Jamaat and other like-minded parties. According to the list, the party has selected 73 candidates for 33 constituencies of Rangpur division. In the list, only one or two candidate(s) has/have been selected for some constituencies. The names of BNP standing committee member Barrister Jamiruddin Sircar and Panchagarh Sadar Poura mayor Md Touhidul Islam are enlisted as prospective candidates for Panchagarh-1 constituency. Jagpa president Shafiul Alam Prodhan was the lone candidate for Panchagarh-2, but the name of Farhad Hossain Azad has been added for the constituency at the death of Prodhan. Besides, Barrister Nawshad Jamil, son of Jamiruddin Sircar, has been named as an alternative candidate for both Panchagarh-1 and Panchagarh-2 constituencies. BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is the lone candidate for Thakurgaon-1 constituency, while names of Mirza Alamgir, ZM Mortuza Chowdhury Tula and DAB leader Dr Abdus Salam have been mentioned as possible candidates for Thakurgaon-2. The constituency-wise prospective candidates in Rangpur division are: Thakurgaon-3: Zahidur Rahman Zahid, Zaman Chowdhury and Ziaul Islam Zia; Dinajpur-1: Manjurul Islam and Mehedi Hasan Sumon; Dinajpur-2: Lt Gen (Retd) Mahbubur Rahman; Dinajpur-3: Jahangir Alam and Tahasin Akhter Don; Dinajpur-4: Akhteruzzaman MIah; Dinajpur-5: Rezwanul Haque and Khurshid Alam Moti; and Dinajpur-6: Prof. Lutfor Rahman Mintu. In Khulna Division, Khulna district BNP general secretary Amir Ejaj and Latifur Rahman Labu are the prospective candidates for Khulna-1 constituency. The other prospective candidates in the division are: Khulna-2: Nazrul Islam Manju and Ali Asgor Loby; Khulna-3: SM Arifur Rahman Mithu; Rafiqul Islam Bakul and Kazi Sekander Dalim; Khulna-4: Azizul Bari Helal, Shah Kamal Taj and Shafiul Alam Manna; and Khulna-5: Dr Mamun Rahman, Gazi Abdul Haque and Khan Ali Mansur, Khulna-6: Advocate Momrejul Islam and Moniruzzaman Montu. In Bagerhat, the prospective candidates are: Bagerhat-1: Shekh Mojibur Rahman, Advocate Shekh Wahiduzzaman Dipu and Sheikh Rabiul Alam; Bagerhat-2: MA Salam and Monirul Islam Khan; Bagerhat-3: Dr Faridul Islam and Julfiker Ali; Bagerhat-4: Kazi Khairuzzaman Shipon and Monirul Haque Farazi.