Around 1,000 aspirants from the Jatiya Oikyafront and the 20-Party Alliance have submitted their nomination papers to the returning officers concerned to contest the forthcoming general election slated for December 30, according to sources.

Of them, a total of 822 aspirants submitted their nomination papers from the BNP alone, the major partner in both the opposition alliances, for all the 300 constituencies, while Jamaat-e-Islami leaders for 61, Gana Forum for around 50, Nagarik Oikya for nine, Jatiya Party (Kazi Zafar) for five, and LDP for three constituencies.

Three BNP candidates—Kamal Mollah, Dr Anwar and Monwar Hossain—submitted nomination papers for Dhaka-17, Netrakona Sadar and Jamalpur-2, respectively, after receiving party nomination letters yesterday.

After failing to complete seat-sharing arrangements among its allies, the BNP, the major partner in both the Jatiya Oikyafront and the 20-Party Alliance, will finalise its party and alliance candidates and their seats after the scrutiny of candidature on December 9.

Earlier, the BNP and its allies had, on strategic grounds, decided to submit their nominations from their respective parties and finalise the alliance candidates after reaching an understanding on seat sharing among the partners. The measure had been taken due to time constraints.

Meanwhile, BNP Khaleda Zia, who is now in jail, yesterday submitted her nomination papers from the Feni-1, Bogura-6 and Bogura-7 constituencies.

Three other candidates, including party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Morshed Milton, also submitted nominations papers from Bogura-6 and Bogura, respectively, as alternative candidates in case of the former premier’s candidature was cancelled on legal grounds.

Mirza Alamgir will also contest from the Thakurgaon-1 constituency, Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain from Cumilla-1 and Cumilla-2, Barrister Moudud Ahmed from Noakhali-5, Mirza Abbas from Dhaka-8, and Goyeshwar Chandra Roy from the Dhaka-3 constituency.

In a major development, three senior BNP leaders—Abdul Awal Mintoo, Habibur Nabi Khan Sohel and Syed Moazzem Hossain—have decided at the last moment not to contest, confirmed BNP chairperson’s media wing officer Sayrul Kabir Khan. He, however, could not give the reasons behind it.

Gana Forum president Dr Kamal Hossain will not take part in the polls, but 50 aspirants of his party submitted nomination papers to contest the election.

Among them, party executive president Subrata Chowdhury is keen to take part in the election from Dhaka-6, while general secretary Mostafa Mohsin Montu could contest either from Dhaka-2 or Dhaka-3 or Dhaka-7, Khalequzzaman from Mymensingh-8, and Joglul Haider Afric from Narsingdi-2 constituencies, said party publicity secretary Rafiqul Islam Pothik.

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) president ASM Abdur Rab the submitted nomination paper to fight the polls from Luxmipur-4, while its general secretary Abdul Malek Ratan would take part in the election from Cumilla-4.

Nine aspirants from Nagorik Oikya submitted their nominations papers. Among them, Nagorik Oikya convenor Mahmudur Rahman Manna will fight the polls from Bogura-.

A total of 61 Jamaat candidates submitted nomination papers from 61 constituencies, though the BNP has given the green signal to 24 of its candidates, said a city Jamaat leader.  

Among the other partners in the 20-Party Alliance, BNP president Andalib Rahman Partha submitted the nomination paper for Bhola-1, NPP chairman Fariduzzaman Farhar for Narail-2, Sayed Ahmed of the Sammoyabadi Dal for Narayanganj-5, Syed Muhammed Ibrahim of Kallyan Party for Chattagram-5, Col (retd) Oli Ahmed of the LDP for Chattagram-14 and Syed Golam Mohiudidn of the Jomiyat-e-Ulamaye Islam for Cumilla-6.

Besides, Redwan Ahmed of the LDP submitted the nomination paper for Cumilla-7, Sahadat Hossain Selim for Luxmipur-1, Shahinur Pasha of the Jomiyat-e-Ulamaye Islam for Sunamganj-3, and Mostafizur Rahman Iran of the Labour Party for Pirojpur-2.

Jatiya Party (Kazi Zafar) submitted nomination papers for five constituencies. Of them, Mostafa Jamal Haider submitted nomination papers for Pirojpur-1, TIM Fazle Rabbi Chowdhury for Gaibandha-3, SMM Alam for Chandpur-3, Ahsan Habib Linkon for Kustia-2 and Selim Master for Brahmanbaria-4.

Meanwhile, the BNP handed over nomination letters to 13 of its reformed leaders and 11 family members of deceased party leaders.

The reformed leaders, who had been sacked from the party earlier due to violation of organisational discipline, are: Abu Hena for Rajshahi-4, Alamgir Kabir for Naogaon-6, Zahiruddin Swapan for Barishal-1, Sarder Sakhawat Hossain for Narsingdi-4, Shahidul Haque Jamal for Barishal-2, Shahidul Haque Talukder for Patuakhali-2, Ataur Rahman for Narayanganj-5, Elen Bhutto for Jhalokathi-2, Nazir Hossain for Sunajganj-2, Ziaul Haque Mollah for Bogura-4, GM Siraj for Bogura-5, Mofiqul Hasan Tripti for Jesshore-1 and Abu Yusuf Khalilur Rahman for Joypurhat.

The family members of deceased leaders to receive nominations are: M Naser Hossain, son of Saifur Rahman, for Moulavibazar-3, Naushad Jamir, son of Jamirudidn Sircar, for Panchagarh-1, Aninda Islam Amit, son of Tariqul Islam, for Jeshore-1, Akhter Hamid Dablu, son of Delwar Hosain Khandaker, for Manikganj-2, Shah Reazul Hannan, son of ASM Hannan Shah, for Gazipur-3, Mainul Islam Shanto, son of M Shamsul Islam, for Munshiganj-1, Afroja Khan Rita, daughter of Harun-or-Rashid Khan Munnu, for Manikganj-3, Parvej Hamid Siddiqui, son of Akhter Hamid Siddiqui, for Naogaon-3, Tanvir Huda, son of Nurul Huda, for Chandpur-2, Kazi Nazmul Hossain Taposh, son of Kazi Anwar Hossain, for Brahmanbaria-5, and Kamrunnahar Shirin, wife of Fazlur Rahman Patal, for Natore-1.

Meanwhile, BNP Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan has been made the chief of the election conducting committee of the BNP, said BNP chairperson’s media wing officer Shairul Kabir.