The Election Commission (EC) has declared the nomination papers of all 36 candidates from the BNP alliance valid for the reserved women's seats in the 13th Jatiya Sangsad, report agencies.
After two days of scrutiny, a total of 49 candidates were declared valid. Of these, 36 are from the BNP, one from an independent alliance and 12 from the Jamaat-e-Islami alliance.
Returning Officer and Joint Secretary of the EC Secretariat Md Moin Uddin Khan disclosed the information after the scrutiny process at the Election Bhaban in the capital's Agargaon on Thursday.
The valid BNP candidates are Selima Rahman, Shirin Sultana, Rasheda Begum Hira, Rehana Akhter Ranu, Newaz Halima Arli, Mst Farida Yasmin, Bilkis Islam, Sakila Farzana, Helen Zerin Khan, Nilufar Chowdhury Moni, Nipun Roy Chowdhury, Jiba Amina Khan, Mahmuda Habiba, Sabira Sultana, Sansila Zebrin, Sanjida Islam Tuli, Sultana Ahmed, Fahmida Haque, Anna Minaj, Suborna Sikder, Shamim Ara Begum Swapna, Shammi Akhter, Ferdousi Ahmed, Bitika Binte Hossain, Suraiya Zerin, Mansura Akhter, Zaharat Adib Chowdhury, Momtaz Alo, Fahima Nasrin, Arifa Sultana, Sanjida Yasmin, Nadia Pathan Papon, Shawkat Ara Akhter, Madhavi Marma, Selina Sultana and Rezeka Sultana.
Simultaneously, the nomination of Sultana Jasmine Jui, former vice-president of Chhatra Dal, as a candidate of an independent alliance aligned with the BNP, was also validated.
After initial scrutiny, the nomination papers of 12 candidates from the Jamaat alliance were accepted as valid on Wednesday.
They are Nurunnisa Siddique, Marzia Begum, Sabikun Nahar Munni, Mardia Momtaz, Nazmun Nahar Nilu, Mahfuza Siddique, Sajeda Samad, Samsun Nahar, Mahmuda Alam Mitu, Tasmia Prodhan, Mahbuba Hakim and Rokeya Begum.
Besides, the nomination papers of three independent candidates were also rejected due to lack of support from any party or alliance.
Meanwhile, he nomination paper of Monira Sharmin, a candidate backed by the Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party alliance and the National Citizens Party (NCP), has been rejected during scrutiny.Returning Officer and Joint Secretary of the Election Commission Secretariat Md Moin Uddin Khan declared her nomination invalid, stating that she had not completed the required three-year period after resigning from her position at the state-owned Krishi Bank, as stipulated by law. She retains the right to appeal the decision to the Election Commission.
