BNP announces possible candidates for 232 constituencies

BNP on Monday announced a list of 237 potential candidates for the upcoming 12th national parliamentary election.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir revealed the list at a press conference at the party Chairperson’s office in Gulshan in the evening.

Earlier in the day, the BNP Standing Committee met at the same venue to finalise the names, with Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman joining the meeting virtually from London and presiding over it.

The meeting lasted for about five hours before Fakhrul came to brief the media.

In the announced list, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has been nominated for Dinajpur-3, Bogura-7, and Feni-1 constituencies.

Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has been nominated for Bogura-6 while Mirza Fakhrul himself will contest from Thakurgaon-1.

Among the Standing Committee members, Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain will contest from Cumilla-1, Mirza Abbas from Dhaka-8, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy from Dhaka-3, Abdul Moyeen Khan from Narsingdi-2, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury from Chattogram-10, Salahuddin Ahmed from Cox’s Bazar-1, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku from Sirajganj-2, Hafizuddin Ahmed from Bhola-3 and AZM Zahid Hossain from Dinajpur-6.

BNP Vice-Chairmen include Altaf Hossain Chowdhury (Patuakhali-1), Barkat Ullah Bulu (Noakhali-3), Mohammad Shahjahan (Noakhali-4), Abdul Awal Mintoo (Feni-3), Nitai Roy Chowdhury (Magura-2), Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad (Cumilla-3) and Ahmed Azam Khan (Tangail-8).

From the Chairperson’s Advisory Council, Monirul Haque Chowdhury will contest from Cumilla-6, Amanullah Aman from Dhaka-2, Mahbub Uddin Khokon from Noakhali-1, Zainul Abdin Farroque from Noakhali-4, Zahir Uddin Swapan from Barishal-1, Mujibur Rahman Sarwar from Barishal-5, Lutfuzzaman Babar from Netrakona-4, Tajvir Ul Islam from Kurigram-3, Habibur Rahman Habib from Pabna-4, Mushfiqur Rahman from Brahmanbaria-4, Afroza Khan Rita from Manikganj-3, Moinul Islam Khan from Manikganj-2, Khandaker Abdul Muktadir from Sylhet-1, Tahmina Rashdir Luna from Sylhet-2, Abul Khair Bhuiyan from Lakshmipur-2, Enamul Haque Chowdhury from Sylhet-6, Abdus Salam Pintu from Tangail-2, Zainal Abedin VP Zainal from Feni-2, Fazlur Rahman from Kishoreganj-4, and Naser Rahman from Moulvibazar-3.

Among Joint Secretaries General, Khairul Kabir Khokon will contest from Narsingdi-1, Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie from Lakshmipur-2, and Syed Emran Saleh Prince from Mymensingh-1.

Before announcing the list, Mirza Fakhrul said, “Today we are announcing the names of potential candidates in 237 constituencies.

“After discussions with our allied parties, who joined the simultaneous movement with us, some changes may be made later. So this is our list of potential candidates,” Fakhrul said.

Over the past few months, several parties including Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Andolon Bangladesh, Khelafat Majlish, Ganatantra Mancha, AB Party, LDP, and Bangladesh Labour Party have also announced their own candidate lists separately.

BNP Standing Committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, Selima Rahman, Hafizuddin Ahmed, AZM Zahid Hossain, along with several organisational and assistant organising secretaries, were present at the press conference.

Among the 20 constituencies in Dhaka, candidates have been named in 13.

Khandaker Abu Ashfaq is the candidate for Dhaka-1 (Dohar–Nawabganj), Amanullah Aman for Dhaka-2 (Keraniganj), and Gayeshwar Chandra Roy for Dhaka-3 (Keraniganj–Jinjira). Tanvir Ahmed Robin is contesting in Dhaka-4 (Jatrabari), while Nabiullah Nabi represents Dhaka-5 (Demra), and Ishraque Hossain stands for Dhaka-6 (Kotwali–Sutrapur). Mirza Abbas is the candidate for Dhaka-8 (Motijheel–Shahjahanpur–Ramna), M.A. Quayum for Dhaka-11 (Badda), and Saiful Alam Nirob for Dhaka-12 (Tejgaon). In Dhaka-14 (Mirpur), Sanjida Islam Tuli has been named, Shafiqul Islam Milton for Dhaka-15 (Kafrul), Aminul Haque for Dhaka-16 (Pallabi), and Dewan Salahuddin Babu for Dhaka-19 (Savar).