The areas around the BNP’s Nayapaltan central office remained overcrowded since morning as the nomination seekers together with their local supporters gathered there on the second consecutive day to collect their party’s nomination forms.
Carrying posters, banners, festoons, placards and portraits of party chairperson Khaleda Zia, acting chairman Tarique Rahman and nomination aspirants, the party activists celebrated the nomination sale and also demonstrated their election mood as the party is going to join the polls after nearly a decade.
Even, some aspirants and their supporters marched towards their party office with drums musical instruments, elephants and horses and staged a huge showdown to woo the party high-ups to nominate them.
But, the commuters and pedestrians went through immense sufferings as huge tailbacks created on the adjacent roads due to the massive gathering of BNP leaders and activists from Fakirapool to Kakrail areas all day long.
On Monday morning, the parry formally started the sale of nomination with the purchase of three nomination papers for its jailed chairperson Khaleda Zia. The party sold 1,326 nomination papers on the first day.
Talking to UNB, BNP assistant office secretary Taipul Islam Tipu said 1,896forms were sold as of 9pm on the second day while a total of 3,222 in the two days.
Tipu said the aspirants can collect the nomination forms until November 16.
BNP standing committee member Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain bought nomination forms for two seats in Cumilla.
On behalf of Mosharraf, his son Khandaker Mrauf Hossain collected the two forms.
BNP standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy collected a form to contest the election from Keraniganj.
Among others, Abdul Awal Mintoo bought forms for Feni-3, Joynal Abedin for Feni-2, AZM Zahid for Mmensignh-4, Shamsuzzaman Dudu for Chuadanga-1, Selima Rahman for Barishal-3, Altaf Hossain Chowdhury for Patuakhali-1, Shahjahan Omar for Jhalakati-1, Ahmed Azam Khan for Tangail’s Ghatail, Hanna Shah’s son Reazul Hannan for Gazipur-4, ex-Gazipur mayor Abdul Manna for Gazipur-2, Fazlul Haque Milon for Gazipur-3, JCD general secretary Akramul Hasan for Narshindi-3, Helin Jerin Khan for Madaripur-1, Barrister Kaiser Kamal for Netrakona-4 and Journalist Kader Goni Chowdhury for Chottagram-2 seats.
A good number of fresh faces, the current and former leaders of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dla, Jubo Dal and Swechchhasebak Dal, collected forms on the second day, and they believe the party high-ups will give many fresh candidates nominations this time considering the overall political situation.
Convicted BNP leader Abdus Salam Pintu’s younger brother Shasmsul Alam Tofa collected three forms-- two for Pintu and his younger brother and Jubo Dal general secretary Sultan Saluddin Tuku for Tangail-2 and one for himself for Tangail-5 seats.
Ex-national football team captain Aminul Islam bought two nomination forms for Dhaka-14 and Dhaka-16 sets.
Missing BNP leader Ilias Ali’s wife Tahsina Rushdir Luna also bought a nomination paper for Sylhet-2 constituency.
Huge supporters of BNP leaders Shafiqul Islam Milton staged a big showdown with two elephants and two horses in front of the party office.