The Awami League (AL) has inducted new faces and dropped some heavyweight candidates for the 11th parliamentary election slated for December 30. AL general secretary Obaidul Quader began distributing party tickets yesterday morning from the party’s central office at Bangabandhu Avenue in the capital. Later, at a press conference at AL President Sheikh Hasina’s political office in Dhanmondi, Quader said the AL had already selected 230 candidates for the national polls.

“The selected party leaders have started taking their party tickets. Today we won’t give the list of the candidates. We’ll give you the total list of 300 candidates, including the leaders of the alliance partners, on Monday (today),” he told reporters. Among the heavyweight candidates, who were denied the party nominations, are party joint general secretary Jahangir Kabir Nanak and organising secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim.

Dr Abdul Momen, the younger brother of finance minister AMA Muhith, has been given the nomination from Muhith’s constituency Sylhet-1. AL north city unit general secretary Sadek Khan was nominated from Dhaka-13, one of the key constituencies in the city, where Jahangir Kabir Nanak, the sitting MP, was also an aspirant.

Monzur Hossain Bulbul, chairman of Rupali Bank, was nominated in place of party joint general secretary Abdur Rahman, who is also the sitting MP from Faridpur-1 constituency.

AL office secretary Dr Abdus Sobhan Golap was nominated in place of party organising secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim from Madaripur-3. AL central leader Iqbal Hossain Apu has been given nomination in place of BM Mozammel Haque from Sharietpur -1.

The ruling party has also dropped two sitting MPs—Abdur Rahman Bodi from Cox’s Bazar-4 and Amanur Rahman Rana from Tangail-4—as cases have been filed against them.  

New faces among AL

candidates

The AL has given tickets to some new faces, both young and old, for the forthcoming parliamentary polls.

Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, Bangladesh national cricket team’s ODI captain, has received the AL ticket from the Narail-2 (Lohagara) constituency. Another new face is the party’s organising secretary, Mohibul Hassan Chowdhury Nowfel, who will contest from the Chattogram-9 constituency.

SM Shahjada Saju, a former Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) leader, has been nominated from the Patuakhali-3 (Golachipa-Dashmina) constituency instead of incumbent MP AKM Jahangir Hossain.

AL central working committee member Iqbal Hossain Apu, another new face, will contest from the Shariatpur-1 (Sadar and Jajira upazila) constituency.

AL organising secretary AKM Enamul Hoque

Shameem has been given the ticket to contest the polls from the Shariatpur-2 (Naria-Bhedarganj) constituency.

AL city unit leader (north) Sadek Khan will contest from the Dhaka-13 constituency.

Former inspector general of police Noor Mohammad has been given nomination from Kishoreganj-2 (Katiadi-Pakundia).

Other new faces on the AL ‘Boat’ are Dr Abdul Momen from Sylhet-1, Jakir Hossain from Kurigram-4, Dr Abdul Aziz from Sirajganj-3, AKM Sarwar Jahan from Kushtia-1, Selim Altaf from Kushtia-4, Mohammad Shafiqul Ajam Khan from Jhenaidah-3, Sheikh Tanmoy from Bagherhat-2, Sheikh Salauddin Jewel from Khulna-2, Akhtaruzzman Babu from Khulna-6, Shah Jahan Majumder from Patuakhali-1, Shamsul Haque Reza from Patuakhali-2, Mohibur Rahman from Patuakhali-4, Murad Hassan from Jamalpur-4, Mawlana Ruhul Amin Madani from Mymensingh-7, Manu Majumder from Netrakona-4, Benjir Ahmed from Dhaka-20, Iqbal Hossain Sabuj from Gazipur-3, Manjur Hossain from Faridpur-2, Md Ebadul Karim Bulbul from Brahmanbaria-5, Selima Ahmad Marry from Cummila-2, Mazharul Haque Prodhan from Panchagarh-1, Shahidul Islam from Natore-1, Abdul Momin Mandal from Sirajganj-5, Saifuzzaman Shekhor from Magura-1, SM Rezaul Karim from Pirojpur-1, Kazi Manirul Islam from Dhaka-5, Monjur Hossain Bulbul from Faridpur-1, Abdus Shobhan Golap from Madaripur-3.

The AL had sold 4,023 nomination forms from November 9. The forms were distributed from AL president Sheikh Hasina’s Dhanmandi political office for four days.

Later, an 11-member parliamentary board, headed by Sheikh Hasina, finalised the party nominations after holding a series of meetings in her official residence. Sheikh Hasina herself will contest the polls from the Gopalganj-3 and Rangpur-6 constituencies.