BNP starts handover of nomination letters

BNP formally started handing over nomination letters to the candidates its board selected for contesting the forthcoming national election at its Chairperson's Gulshan office on Monday afternoon, report agencies.

The BNP has given its initial approval to more than one candidate for most races in the election.

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir started the process handing over the nomination letters of its Chairperson Khaleda Zia to Bogura BNP president Saiful Islam for Bogura-6 and to her adviser Helaluzzaman Lalu for Bogura-7 at 3:15 pm.

Mirza Fakhrul broke down into tears while handing over the nomination letters of Khaleda Zia and could not speak for a while at that time.

"May Allah help her get released from jail so that she could take part in the election and work for establishing people's right," said Fakhrul after handing over the nomination letters of Khaleda Zia.

Bagura BNP President Saiful Islam and BNP Advisory Council member Helaluzzaman Talukder Lalu accepted the letters on behalf of Khaleda from BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

All candidates running under the BNP ticket have to submit the confirmation letter to the Election Commission alongside their other forms.

The letters are signed by Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as Khaleda is in prison and BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman is living abroad in self-exile.

The issuance of nomination letters among the Barishal division aspirants started at 4 pm while that among Rangpur division aspirants at 6 pm and Rajshahi division seekers were scheduled to get the nomination letters from 8pm, party sources said.

Those have so far received nomination letters are Jahir Uddin Swapan and bdus Sobhan (Barishal-1),Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, Sharfuddin Ahmed Santu and Shahidul Haque Jamal (Barishal-2), Advocate Zainul Abedin and Selima Rahman (Barishal-3), Mejbah Uddin Farhad and Rajib Ahsan (Barishal-4), Mujibur Rahman Sarwar and Obaidul Haque Chand (Barishal-5), Abul Hossain Khan and Prof Abdur Rashid Khan (Barishal-6),Shahjahan Omar and Rafiqul Islam Jamal (Jhalakati-1),Ishrat JahanElenBhutto and Jeba Rahman (Jhalakati-2), Ruhul Amin Dulal and Shahjahan Mia (Pirojpur-3), Matiur Rahman Talukdar and Nazrul Islam Mollah (Barguna-1),Nurul Islam Moni (Barguna-2), Altaf Hossain Chowdhury and Suraiya Akhter Chowdhury (Patuakhali-1), Shahidul Alam Chowdhury and Salma Alam (Patuakhali-2), Hasan Mamun and Md Shahjahan (Patuakhali-3), ABM Mosharaf Hossain and Moniruzzaman (Patuakhali-4), Hafiz Ibrahim and Rafiqul Islam (Bhola-2), Hafiz Uddin Ahmed and Kamal Hossain (Bhola-3) and Nazimuddin Alam and Nurul Islam (Bhola- 4).

BNP announced no candidate for the Bhola-1 constituency as the party will share it with Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP)Party Chairman Andaleeve Rahman Partho.

The nomination hopefuls also include Mosharraf Hossain Sujan (Rangpur-1), Wahiduzzaman Mamun and Mozaffar Ali (Rangpur -2), Rita Rahman (PPB) and Mozaffar Ahmad (Rangpur-3), Emdadul Haque Bharsa (Rangpur-4), Solaiman Alam and Dr Momtaz (Rangpur-5), Saiful Islam (Rangpur-6), Abul Hasnat Kaikobad (Kurigram -1), Abu Bakar Siddique (Kurigram-2), Tajvirul Islam and Abdul Khaleque (Kurigram-3), Azizur Rahman and Mokhlesur Rahman (Kurigram-4), Md Shahjahan Miah and Belal Baki (Chapainawabganj-1), Anwarul Islam (Chapainawabganj-2), Abdul Wahed and Harunur Rashid (Chapainawabganj-3), Salek Chowdhury, Mustafizur Rahman and Masud Rana (Naogaon-1), Shamsuzzaman Khan, Khaja Nazibullah Chowdhury (Naogaon-2), Rabiul Alam Bullet and Parvez Arefin Siddique Jony (Naogaon -3), Shamsul Alam Pramanik and Ekramul Bari Tito (Naogaon -4), Zahidul Islam and Nazmul Haque Soni (Naogaon-5), Alamgir Kabir and Sheikh Rezaul Islam (Naogaon-6).

Aminul Haque (Rajshahi-1), Mizanur Rahman Minu and Sayed Hasan (Rajshahi-2), Matiur Rahman Montu and Shafiqul Haque Milon (Rajshahi-3), Abu Hena and Md Abdul Gafur (Rajshahi-4), Nadim Mustafa and Nazrul Mondol (Rajshahi-5), Abu Sayeed Chan and Nuruzzaman Khan Manik (Rajshahi-6) and Asadul HabibDulu (Lalmonirhat-3) are also among the BNP aspirants.

BNP standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy on Sunday said they have finalised the list of their party candidates. "We're now in discussions with our partners of the Jatiya Oikyafront and the 20-party."

He said their party standing committee nominated the candidates based on their competence, capability and popularity.

The BNP leader also hinted that 150-200 nomination seekers would be given party tickets on the first day while the rest will get those later.

A leader close to Fakhrul said the BNP standing committee decided to share nearly 10 seats with Gano Forum, three each with Nagorik Oikya, JSD and Krishak Sramik Janata League while 40 seats with the 20-party alliance partners.