BNP starts nomination paper sale for women's reserved seats

The BNP has started selling party nomination forms for the women's reserved seats in the 13th Jatiya Sangsad, report agencies.
BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi inaugurated the programme formally around 11:00am on Friday at the party's Nayapaltan central office in the capital.
Addressing aspiring candidates, Rizvi said the party's parliamentary board will select nominees based on their political contributions, particularly their roles in movements over the past 16-17 years, along with leadership qualities and the ability to speak effectively in parliament.
He urged party leaders and activists to accept the board's decisions, warning against creating internal divisions over nominations.
"Everyone must respect the party's decision," Rizvi said, adding that leaders and activists have made significant sacrifices for the party.
He also said nomination forms will be sold until April 12 and must be submitted within this stipulated time.
Several hundred women leaders gathered at the party office to collect forms, each paying Tk 2,000, unfolding scenes of enthusiasm and emotion.
Rizvi handed over the first nomination form to Jerin Delwar Hossain and the second one to Fatema Asad, wife of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal founding convener Kazi Asaduzzaman Asad.
Earlier, the Election Commission announced the election schedule on Wednesday, setting May 12 as the voting date.
The deadline for submission of nomination papers is April 21, while scrutiny will take place on April 22-23.
The last date for filing appeals against the acceptance and rejection of nomination papers by the returning officer is April 26, while appeals will be disposed of on April 27-28.
The deadline for withdrawal of candidature is April 29, and election symbols will be allocated on April 30. Voting by MPs will be held on May 12.
Meanwhile, on the first day after the Election Commission (EC) announced the schedule, 52 aspiring candidates have obtained nomination papers for the 50 reserved women's seats in parliament.
All those who collected forms identified themselves as aspirants from the ruling BNP, according to Assistant Returning Officer Mohammad Monir Hossain on Thursday.