While candidates of their main rival party have already begun reaching out to voters, BNP nomination seekers across the country remain in limbo, awaiting the party high command’s green signal, a delay that has left many grassroots leaders and activists increasingly frustrated.
Talking to UNB, several grassroots BNP leaders said they fear the party may face internal conflicts and rival candidates during the election if it takes much longer to finalise nominations and reach an understanding with those who will not be selected.
They said Jamaat-e-Islami has long been running an organised and active election campaign after announcing its candidates in almost all constituencies, while BNP aspirants are busy competing to show their popularity in their respective areas instead of directly engaging with the people.
BNP leaders also observed that some top party leaders might become complacent, thinking that BNP will perform well regardless of when nominations are announced, as their main rival, the Awami League, may not take part in the election.
They warned that such complacency could lead to negative outcomes, as Jamaat-e-Islami is already trying to win over voters through various strategies, including using religious sentiment, spreading narratives, and tarnishing BNP’s image with false propaganda.
The leaders emphasised that BNP should not only give green signals to candidates but also develop election strategies to attract voters and counter Jamaat’s negative campaign.
Grassroots leaders also called for party Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman to return home immediately to lead the party for a strong performance in the upcoming election.
“We are uncertain about who will get the nomination from our constituency, Dhaka-13. I think the party should finalise the list of candidates immediately, or else we will fall behind our political rivals in election campaigning,” said Yusuf Mridha, Joint Convenor of Dhaka North City Unit.
Mridha, also a former president of Mohammpur Thana unit BNP, said they are currently working with ex-Dhaka South City unit convenor Abdus Salam as a BNP candidate.
“If he (Salam) is given the party nomination, that will be fine. But if the party makes any changes, it could create divisions within the party and make it difficult to work with a new candidate. Whatever decision the party takes, it should be made as early as possible,” he said.
Bazlul Karim Chowdhury Abed, BNP’s Rural Development and Cooperatives Affairs assistant secretary, said Jamaat has announced not only its MP candidates but also its upazila and Union Parishad candidates across the country over two months ago and has been campaigning in an organised way.
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As a cadre-based party, Jamaat is gaining an advantage from its organised campaign, while BNP leaders and activists remain uncertain about who will be their candidates in many seats. In some areas there are six or seven BNP aspirants, each campaigning separately, creating confusion within the party,” he said.
Abed, who is also an aspirant for the Noakhali-5 constituency, said there are seven nomination seekers from his seat. “Our party leaders and activists are confused about whom they should work with. This is also widening intra-party conflicts.”
In such a situation, he said the party should immediately finalise the candidates so that grassroots leaders can actively participate in campaigning and counter Jamaat’s propaganda. “If the party delays selecting candidates, it may pay a heavy price in the election.”
Rafiqul Amin Bhuiyan Ruhel, Narsindi BNP organising secretary, said the party could announce the names of at least 150 candidates immediately, with the rest revealed in two further phases.
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“It is easy for the party to finalise candidates in many seats, so there is no reason to delay announcing them. But in some constituencies, it is difficult to decide. In those seats, our Acting Chairman should carefully evaluate the popularity, position, and public image of each aspirant to select the best candidate and avoid intra-party conflicts,” he said.
Ruhel also said they are hearing Tarique Rahman will return home very soon. “If he returns, our party will gain new momentum, and the morale of the rank and file will be boosted, creating a positive election wave in favour of the party,” he said.
As Jamaat is campaigning actively across the country, he said BNP should also develop proper election strategies to counter negative campaigns and gain support from people of all walks of life.
“Tarique Rahman, in his interview with BBC, said BNP will nominate candidates who have acceptability among all sections of the community. This is important as Awami League may remain out of the race. We need candidates who can attract voters regardless of their political identity,” Ruhel said.
Some senior party leaders said around 1,500 people are seeking BNP nomination to contest in 300 constituencies in the next national election.
They said the BNP leadership is expected to give an early 'go-ahead' or preliminary approval to one potential candidate per constituency this month, after assessing their chances of victory. Final nominations will be approved later by the party’s nomination board once the election schedule is announced.
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The leaders said the party should boost field-level activities and speed up door-to-door campaigning with clear candidates in each seat, following concerns that having multiple aspirants in one area is creating confusion and weakening the campaign.
BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury said the party will announce the names of its candidates at an appropriate time. “Every party has its own strategy. We are not concerned about what other parties are doing. It is BNP’s decision when to announce the candidates.”
He said the party will make careful and well-considered decisions when selecting its candidates. “I hope BNP will take the right decisions at the right time.”
Replying to another question, Khosru said that as a major party, it is normal for BNP to have multiple aspirants. “But once the nominations are finalised, everyone will work together as one.”