AL, JaPa seat sharing complexity continues

Ruling Bangladesh Awami League has not been able to publish its official list of candidates as the party is yet to finalise seat sharing with Jatiya Party (JaPa), its partner in the mahajote (grand alliance).

Today [Sunday] is the last date to inform the election commission (EC) about the candidates and their parties or coalitions that will take part in the election.

The ruling party had come to an agreement with the 14-party alliance, giving up 13 seats for them and three seats for Badruddoza Chowdhury's Jukta Front on Friday.

All of them will contest the elections with AL’s election symbol – boat.

AL general secretary Obaidul Quader on Friday said they would give 40-42 seats to Jatiya Party.

The party forum, however, has been discussing sharing 30-32 seats with the former Jatiya Party and 8-10 seats left open for AL, JaPa and other alliance partners, the party sources said.

The matter has aggrieved the JaPa. They postponed a press conference scheduled to be held at the party chairman’s Banani office on Saturday night.

The Jukta Front is also not contented with three seats they got from the AL and sought four more.

Chief coordinator of the front Golam Sarwar issued a statement on Friday night expressing their grievances.

AL ponders over rebel candidates

Another matter of concern for the ruling party is their rebel candidates. At least 80 candidates submitted their nomination papers ignoring party decision.

Over 50 of them are still in the run though some of the rebels candidatures were rejected in the sorting.

The AL president Sheikh Hasina has sent letters to the rebel candidates requesting them to withdraw candidature.

BNP accused to nomination 'trade'

In a press conference at AL’s Dhanmondi office on Saturday, party joint general secretary Jahangir Kabir Nanak alleged that the BNP’s selling of nomination papers has crossed all limits.

"This is being done from London. I just saw on television their party men are staging demonstrations in front of the party office," he added.

BNP acting chairperson Tarique Rahman lives in London.

Regarding the rebel candidates of AL, Nanak said of the 24 candidates, 6-7 have already withdrawn their candidature.

“We talked to those who haven’t withdrawn candidature. They assured us they would do so,” he added.

Sunday is also the last date of withdrawing candidature.