BNP tries to strike a balance in nominations, but controversy remains

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) policymakers see the list of candidates announced for 237 constituencies as an effort to “maintain balance.” The list includes both experienced leaders and a large number of young faces.

However, several names on the list have sparked controversy or raised questions. Overall, the nominations have generated mixed reactions among party leaders and activists. The BNP’s top leadership is now closely observing reactions on the ground.

The BNP officially announced the names of its candidates for 237 constituencies on Monday. According to the list, 83 of them are young candidates. Through this, the BNP appears to be signaling its intention to highlight the importance of future politics.

Party leaders say most of the young candidates were chosen based on their roles in recent movements. However, many of the newcomers come from political families—some are children of former MPs, while others are spouses of public representatives.

Out of the 237 candidates, only 10 are women and just four are from minority communities, figures that are considered negligible in terms of representational responsibility. This lack of representation is viewed as one of the weak points of the nomination process.

After the list was made public on Monday afternoon, Prothom Alo spoke with several BNP leaders and activists at different levels. They said that in many constituencies, the nominations have triggered mixed reactions.

While many of those denied nominations have refrained from expressing strong reactions publicly due to fear of organisational action, frustration and resentment are reportedly simmering beneath the surface.

However, discontent over nominations led to protests, rallies, road and rail blockades, and even clashes in at least seven districts on Tuesday—Meherpur, Satkhira, Chandpur, Mymensingh, Madaripur, Natore, and Naogaon. In Meherpur, at least 10 people were injured in clashes between rival groups.

Facing protests, the BNP suspended the nomination of Kamal Zaman Mollah for the Madaripur-1 (Shibchar) constituency. His supporters, led by rival aspirant Sajjad Hossain Lavlu Siddiqui, blocked the Dhaka–Bhanga Expressway on Monday night after Mollah’s name was announced.

In the Chattogram-4 (Sitakunda) constituency, supporters of former joint secretary general Aslam Chowdhury staged blockades at several points along the Dhaka–Chattogram Highway on Monday night after he was denied nomination. As a result, organisational actions were taken against several local leaders.

Questions have been raised about the nomination of Sanjida Islam in Dhaka-14. She is a resident of Shahinbag in Tejgaon, which falls under Dhaka-12. Many are asking why she was nominated from Dhaka-14 instead of her own constituency.

Sources close to her say she had sought nomination from her home area. In Dhaka-14, long-time party activist SA Siddique (Saju), the younger son of the late SA Khaleque, had been an aspirant.

BNP leaders explain that, in Dhaka, three major considerations usually guide candidate selection—one of which is being a local resident. The Khaleque family has long been influential in that area.

Furthermore, in constituencies that include industrial zones, diplomatic areas, and the cantonment, the party tends to prioritise educated, honest, and professional individuals.

In Dhaka-12, BNP nominated Saiful Alam (Nirob), the former convener of BNP’s Dhaka north city unit, who had previously faced allegations of extortion and illegal occupation after the political upheaval of 5 August, leading to the dissolution of the city committee. Despite that, he has again received a nomination.

In Dhaka-15, the nomination of Md. Shafiqul Islam Khan has also stirred questions among local activists, while Jubo Dal leader Mamun Hasan had been seeking the nomination there. Similar controversies have arisen in two constituencies in Narayanganj as well.

In Sylhet-3, the nomination of UK-based BNP president Mohammad Abdul Malek has drawn criticism. He has not visited Bangladesh in 19 years. Local BNP president Abdul Kaiyum Chowdhury had been a hopeful for that seat.

In Chandpur-2, the nomination of Jalal Uddin has sparked debate. Former state minister Nurul Huda’s son, Tanvir Huda, had also been seeking nomination there.

Several senior figures were left out, including advisory council members Abdus Salam and Moazzem Hossain Alal, vice chairman Shamsuzzaman Dudu, senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, joint secretary general Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel, former joint secretary general Aslam Chowdhury, and central leader Kamaruzzaman Ratan.

Abdus Salam had sought nomination from Mohammadpur (Dhaka), Moazzem Hossain Alal from Barishal, Rizvi from Rajshahi, Habib-un-Nabi Khan from Dhaka, Aslam Chowdhury from Chattogram, and Ratan from Munshiganj. It remains unclear as to why they were not nominated, though the decisions have raised questions among party members.

Rizvi, however, told Prothom Alo yesterday, “I have always maintained party discipline. The party has made the decision it deemed best. I have no comments on that.”

According to responsible party sources, this time BNP based its nominations on multiple professional surveys, local popularity, and candidates’ roles in recent political movements. Except for a few exceptions, the standing committee had limited involvement in the selection process.

Sources also said that acting chairman Tarique Rahman might return to the country soon, possibly a few days before or after the election schedule is announced. Hence, the nominations were released early so that internal resentment and protests could subside before his return.

BNP strategists believe that Tarique Rahman’s and Khaleda Zia’s presence in the election campaign will energise both party workers and the general public.

A senior BNP figure told Prothom Alo that the coming election marks the end of BNP’s long-standing political advantage as the leading anti-Awami League force since its founding.

BNP will now have to deal with the independent presence and activism of religion-based political forces as well, the leader said, explaining that the nominations reflect this new political reality and future considerations.

Candidates have not yet been announced for 63 out of 300 parliamentary seats. There are internal complications over candidature in some seats while some have been kept aside for the candidates of alliance and like-minded parties, with whom electoral understanding may be reached.

However, both inside and outside the party, there is much discussion over who will receive nominations in the seats kept for allies. Yet, even now, it is not clear to BNP’s top decision-makers which parties, apart from those already participating in the simultaneous movement, will ultimately be on their side.

The six-party coalition Gonotontra Moncho, the 12-party alliance, the BNP-allied nationalist coalition, LDP, Gono Forum, and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam—these parties will contest the election in alliance with the BNP.

Apart from them, BNP is also interested in the National Citizen Party (NCP), Nurul Haque’s Gono Odhikar Parishad, and Maulana Mamunul Haque’s Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis. BNP is in communication with these parties. Until it becomes clear how many seats BNP will leave for its alliance partners, and exactly who will ultimately join with BNP, the party is not moving towards a full announcement of candidates.

However, according to BNP leaders’ preliminary assessment, except for NCP and Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, there are candidates capable of receiving nominations from the remaining parties and alliances in around 20 to 25 constituencies.

According to information received from responsible BNP sources so far, several seats have been kept vacant for partners that joined the simultaneous movement. Among these: Lakshmipur-4 for ASM Rob; Brahmanbaria-6 for Zonayed Saki; Dhaka-17 for BJP chairman Andaleeve Rahman Partho; Patuakhali-3 for Nurul Haque Nur of Gono Odhikar Parishad; Jhenaidah-2 for Rashed Khan; Thakurgaon-2 for Faruk Hossain; Kishoreganj-5 for Ehsanul Huda of Bangladesh Jatiya Dal; Dhaka-13 for NDM chairman Bobby Hajjaj; Pirojpur-1 for Jatiya Party (Kazi Zafar) chairman Mostafa Jamal Haider; Narail-2 for NPP chairman Fariduzzaman Farhad; Comilla-7 for LDP secretary general Redwan Ahmed; Chattogram-14 for Omar Faruk, son of Oli Ahmed; and Lakshmipur-1 for Bangladesh LDP chairman Shahadat Hossain Selim.

In addition, Mahmudur Rahman Manna, president of Nagorik Oikya, intended to contest from Bogra-4 (Shibganj). BNP has already announced a candidate for that constituency. It remains uncertain whether he will be nominated in Dhaka or another constituency.

Among the parties outside the simultaneous movement, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam has submitted a list of candidates to BNP.

Notable among them are: party ameer Ubaidullah Farooq (Sylhet-5), secretary general Monjurul Islam Afendi (Nilphamari-1), central leader Mohammad Ali (Sylhet-4), Junayed Al Habib (Brahmanbaria-2), Monir Hossain Kasemi (Narayanganj-4), Mokhlesur Rahman Chowdhury (Kishoreganj-1), Shoaib Ahmed (Sunamganj-2) and Talha Islam (Narail-2).

BNP has not announced candidates for these constituencies. It is not confirmed for whom these seats are being reserved. However, responsible leaders of Jamiat stated that they will not join the alliance unless they receive at least 12 constituencies.

It remains unclear which direction Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, led by Maulana Mamunul Haque, will take. In an interview with Prothom Alo, he had expressed interest in contesting from Mohammadpur, Lalbagh in Dhaka, and one seat in Bagerhat. BNP has not announced candidates in any of these three constituencies.

In the 11th parliamentary election in 2018, BNP had left 58 seats for its alliance partners, including 22 seats for Jamaat-e-Islami. In the current election, BNP considers Jamaat to be its main rival. In this context, BNP is carefully considering seat-sharing arrangements for the partners in the recent joint movement and like-minded groups.

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told Prothom Alo on Tuesday night that they are trying to finalise the nominations for alliance candidates within a very short time.

He said, “Those who have struggled over the past 15–16 years, who were imprisoned, tortured, and oppressed—nominations have been given to them across 237 constituencies. This has been a major undertaking for BNP.”

Mirza Fakhrul added, “Families of victims of enforced disappearance, as well as leaders from Chhatra Dal and Jubo Dal, have been nominated. That is, there is a balance of youth and experience. We believe this is a good nomination slate.”