19 sons, 5 daughters of BNP leaders in nomination list

The nomination list of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) includes the names of 24 sons and daughters of the party’s late, former and current leaders, 19 sons and five daughters in total. In addition, the wives of two deceased leaders have also received nominations.

However, for many of these individuals, family background is not their only identity; nearly all are active in politics.

On Monday, the BNP announced a list of potential candidates for 237 constituencies in the upcoming national parliamentary election. The party has yet to announce candidates for 63 constituencies.

It is being discussed that, following negotiations with allied parties, several of those constituencies may be allocated to them. The BNP will field its own candidates in the remaining seats.

The government has already indicated that the 13th parliamentary election will be held in the first half of February. Among political parties, Jamaat-e-Islami has already announced the names of 298 potential candidates, while the National Citizen Party (NCP) is expected to release its list soon.

In the list announced by the BNP on Monday, the party has included both senior and new faces. Among the new candidates, many are sons and daughters of late, former or current party leaders.

Late Sadeque Hossain Khoka, a former mayor of Dhaka, was a prominent BNP leader. His son, Ishraque Hossain, has received the party’s nomination for the Dhaka-6 constituency.

However, Ishraque’s political identity extends beyond his father’s reputation. He is the member secretary of the Dhaka south unit BNP and a member of the party’s international affairs committee. Nevertheless, his father’s legacy played a major role in his political initiation and rise.

During the tenure of the ousted Bangladesh Awami League government, BNP leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury was executed for crimes against humanity. His family remains influential in Chattogram politics.

His son, Hummam Quader Chowdhury, has been nominated for the Chattogram-7 constituency. He is a member of the BNP’s central committee.

In Chattogram-5, Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin, the son of former city mayor Mir Mohammad Nasir Uddin, has also been included in the BNP’s nomination list. Helal serves as the assistant organising secretary of the party’s central committee.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin said, “I have been working for the party through movements and struggles for a long time. I have received the nomination as the party considered me qualified.”

In response to another question, he added, “Alongside my organisational capability, my father’s reputation will also benefit me in the election.”

In Bangladesh, it is common for the sons and in some cases, daughters of senior political figures, to enter politics using their parents’ identities. Many of them later become leaders and members of parliament themselves.

Writer and researcher Mohiuddin Ahmad told Prothom Alo that before independence, a few families used to control the villages of the country and later, a similar pattern emerged in national politics.

He said, “Although we speak of democracy, in practice we maintain a feudal system. As a result, equal opportunity is not ensured for all.”

Mohiuddin Ahmad further stated that if equal opportunities truly existed, leadership qualities could be properly tested, competition would emerge and more skilled and capable leaders would be produced.

In the Dhaka-4 constituency, Tanvir Ahmed Robin, the son of former MP Salahuddin Ahmed and member secretary of Dhaka south unit of BNP, has been nominated.

In Chattogram-16, Miskatul Islam Chowdhury, the son of former MP Jafrul Islam Chowdhury and senior joint convener of Chattogram south district unit BNP, has also received a nomination.

In Gazipur-2, M Monjurul Karim Rony, the son of late former city mayor MA Mannan and general secretary of Gazipur city unit BNP, has been nominated.

For Gazipur-4 constituency, Shah Rezaul Hannan, the son of former minister Brigadier General (retd.) ASM Hannan Shah and joint convener of the district BNP, has received the party’s nomination.

In Manikganj-2, Moinul Islam Khan, the son of late former minister Shamsul Islam Khan and former general secretary of the district BNP, has been included in the initial list.

In Mymensingh-9, Yasser Khan Chowdhury, the son of former MP Anwarul Hossain Khan Chowdhury and convener of Nandail upazila BNP, has received the nomination.

In Sherpur-2, Mohammad Fahim Chowdhury, the son of late former Zahed Ali Chowdhury and joint convener of the district BNP, has been nominated.

In Sherpur-3, Mahmudul Haque Rubel, the son of former MP Sirajul Haque and a member of the BNP central executive committee, has been named as a nominee.

In Jashore-3, Aninda Islam Amit, the son of late BNP minister Tariqul Islam and acting organising secretary for the Khulna division of the BNP national executive committee, has been nominated.

In Kushtia-2, Ragib Rauf Chowdhury, the son of former MP Abdur Rauf Chowdhury and a member of the central executive committee, has also been nominated.

In Jhenaidah-3, Mohammad Mehedi Hasan, the son of former MP Shahidul Islam and president of Maheshpur Upazila BNP, has received the nomination.

In Sylhet-1, Khandaker Abdul Muktadir Chowdhury, the son of late former MP Khandaker Abdul Malek and adviser to the BNP chairperson, has been nominated.

In Pirojpur-2, Ahmed Sohel Manjur, the son of former MP Nurul Islam Manjur and president of Bhandaria Upazila BNP, has been announced as a potential candidate by the BNP.

In the Panchagarh-1 constituency, Mohammad Nawshad Zamir, son of the BNP’s founding member and former speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad (parliament), Muhammad Jamiruddin Sircar, has received the party’s nomination.

He is the BNP’s international affairs secretary. In Joypurhat-1, Masud Rana Pradhan, joint convener of the district BNP and son of the late former member of parliament Mojahar Ali Pradhan, has been nominated.

In Moulvibazar-3, M Naser Rahman, son of the late former finance minister M Saifur Rahman and member of the BNP’s central executive committee, has also received the nomination.

Of the 237 constituencies for which the BNP has announced candidates, 10 are women. Among them, five are daughters of former or current party leaders. They are: Faridpur-2 – Shama Obaid Islam, Organising Secretary of the BNP Central Committee and daughter of the late former BNP Secretary General KM Obaidur Rahman.

Nayab Yusuf Ahmed, joint general secretary of the Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal and daughter of the late former Minister for Disaster Management and Relief, Chowdhury Kamal Ibne Yusuf, has been selected as potential candidate for the Faridpur-3 constituency.

In Manikganj-3, Afroza Khanom Rita, convener of the district BNP and daughter of the late former MP Harunur Rashid Khan Monno was nominated. In Sherpur-1, Susila Jabrin, joint convener of the district BNP and daughter of district BNP general secretary Hazrat Ali was chosen.

In Natore-1, Farzana Sharmin Putul, joint convener of the district BNP and daughter of the late former MP Fazlur Rahman Potol, has been nominated.

During the tenure of the Awami League government, former BNP MP Ilias Ali was abducted in 2012 and has remained missing since. His wife, Tahsina Rushdir, subsequently became politically active and is now an adviser to the BNP chairperson. This time, she has been nominated for the Sylhet-2 constituency.

In Jashore-2, Sabira Sultana, wife of the late Nazmul Islam, former finance secretary of the Jashore district BNP, has received the nomination. Nazmul Islam was abducted in Dhaka in 2011 and his body was later found in Gazipur.

Following this tragedy, Sabira Sultana became politically active. She is a member of the BNP central committee, president of the Jhikargacha upazila BNP and former chairman of the local Upazila Parishad.

In Jhalakathi-2, Israt Sultana Elen Bhutto, a member of the district BNP convening committee, has been declared a candidate. Her husband was the former MP for the same constituency, who had been elected from the Jatiya Party (JaPa) and was later murdered. Following his death, Elen won the 2000 by-election and was re-elected in 2001.

Many BNP leaders believe it remains to be seen whether nominations are being granted purely on the basis of family connections or to those who are genuinely active in politics.

They argue that anyone with competence, capability and strong connections with the public has the right to enter politics.

More than 50 individuals who entered politics through their fathers or husbands had sought BNP nominations to contest parliamentary seats. However, the BNP has decided not to nominate more than one person from the same family.

For instance, in the Dhaka-3 constituency, BNP Standing Committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy and his daughter-in-law Nipun Roy Chowdhury were both nomination seekers. The party ultimately nominated Gayeshwar Chandra Roy. Similar examples exist elsewhere.

Among the 63 constituencies for which the BNP has not yet announced potential candidates, the list of nomination seekers includes sons and daughters of party leaders in nine constituencies.

Political analysts observe that merely changing generations is not sufficient, political culture itself must evolve.

Hasnat Kaiyum, chief coordinator of the Rashtra Sanskar Andolan, told Prothom Alo that there is no issue if a person has the qualifications to enter politics.

The problem arises, he said, when family lineage overshadows political identity and individuals gain prominence through family connections before establishing their own political credentials.

Hasnat Kaiyum further stated that when money and inheritance are prioritised in granting nominations, both the party and the public suffer.

He added, “The party effectively sidelines those who have made sacrifices and taken risks for the organisation by nominating leaders’ sons and daughters or their preferred individuals. This creates an unhealthy trend within politics.”

[This report includes information provided by correspondents from the respective districts.]