Bangladesh News

BNP is ill-prepared to field candidates for the seven new parliamentary constituencies added to the previous eight in Dhaka city.

Though the party has yet to decide whether to participate in the December 18 national polls, it has been working to find suitable candidates for seats elsewhere in the country, said BNP sources.

But it could not even begin the work for the capital. So far, it only has a makeshift plan ready for the 15 constituencies here.

According to the plan, those elected to previous parliament from the capital will play a key role in picking candidates for the additional seats. BNP won all eight seats in the city in 2001 election.

The sources however said the party at present does not have enough candidates for the new constituencies. Neither has it any idea about the new political map of the capital.

According to some BNP leaders, Chairperson Khaleda Zia, Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain and chairperson’s Adviser Brig Gen (retd) ASM Hannan Shah might stand for election from Dhaka city.

Besides, they said, a number of new faces might make it to the BNP ticket here.

A city unit leader said it might sound incredible, but the fact remains that BNP does not have enough candidates to run from Dhaka.

“We don’t even have a clear idea about the new constituencies. Besides, many of our leaders are in jail. These are factors that have taken us quite off-guard,” he added.

Meanwhile, some leaders of Dhaka city BNP have recently met to discuss the issue. They have decided to accept whatever decisions come from the former lawmakers.

Party insiders said Khaleda Zia might contest from Gulshan area while Khandaker Delwar and Hannan Shah from Dhaka-6 (Kotwali-Sutrapur) and Dhaka-17 (cantonment area).

City Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka, who had once sided with the pro-reform faction, might vie for Dhaka-6 or Dhaka -7 if the party wants.

According to local leaders, now detained former lawmaker Mirza Abbas might stand from Dhaka-8 (Motijheel and a part of Ramna) and -9 (Khilgaon and Sabujbagh).

If he is disqualified for the polls, he will be a major factor in choosing candidates for the seats. In that case, former city BNP secretary Abdus Salam and former lawmaker Shirin Sultana (Dhaka-9) will have brighter prospects for nomination.

Of the other detained ex-BNP MPs, Salauddin Ahmed wants to compete from Dhaka 4 and 5, Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu from Dhaka-7 and Mosaddek Ali Falu from Dhaka-11.

If Falu fails to qualify, Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal President Barkatullah Bulu might get the nod for Dhaka 11 (Ramna-Tejgaon).

The party will go for new faces if the other detained ex-lawmakers too are debarred from the election.

Sources said Khaleda’s lawyer Nasiruddin Asim, a former leader of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, is trying to secure nomination for Dhaka-12 (Dhanmondi-Hazaribagh) and former lawmaker Khandaker Mahbubuddin Ahmad for Dhaka-13 (Mohammadpur, Hazaribagh and part of Dhanmondi).

Ekhlas Uddin Mollah, Bazlul Basit Anzu and former lawmaker SA Khaleque’s son might get nomination for three constituencies in Mirpur, Shah Ali and Pallabi areas.

Speaker Jamiruddin Sircar, his son Naushad Jamir and former energy adviser Mahmudur Rahman too are in the nomination race for the city seats.