United News of Bangladesh

Concerned by internal rifts in several districts following the announcement of its initial candidates for 237 seats, BNP is now considering dropping controversial and heavily disputed nominees from its preliminary list for the 13th national election. A team of senior party leaders has been tasked with resolving internal conflicts in several constituencies, assessing the performance of the nominated aspirants and identifying poor performers and controversial ones, party insiders told UNB. At the same time, the party is moving ahead with final preparations for the national polls, including completing its election manifesto. The decisions were taken on Monday night at a meeting of the BNP’s National Standing Committee at the party chairperson’s political office in Gulshan. Read more: Rizvi slams Hasina over reported gold recovery from bank vaults Talking to UNB, a BNP Standing Committee member, wishing anonymity, said a list of 35 candidates has been initially prepared for review. “This doesn’t mean the candidates in all these seats will be changed. But we will reassess whether our nominations were right or wrong.” He said an internal survey is being planned in these constituencies to further check the popularity of the candidates and their rivals before making the final decision. The BNP leader also said the party is focusing on removing intra-party conflicts in all seats to ensure a single candidate represents the party without facing a rival. On November 3, BNP announced primary nominations in 237 seats, but the announcement triggered protests, clashes and serious disagreements in around 60 constituencies. Several people were injured, leaving the party leadership embarrassed. At the meeting, some Standing Committee members raised concerns over nominations given to controversial figures, elderly candidates and those linked to local rivalries. Read more: BNP weighing review of ‘controversial’ nominations amid grassroots unrest They said replacing disputed nominees with dedicated and qualified leaders would help reduce conflicts and ensure party victory. One senior leader pointed to Chattogram-12 and Noakhali-5 seats, saying the nominees there have faced widespread negative publicity in mainstream and social media. He also pointed out that protests demanding candidate changes in some areas even led to clashes between rival groups, intensifying intra-party conflicts. BNP Standing Committee member Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said the reactions seen in some places are ‘natural’, as many enthusiastic aspirants did not get nominations. “Many of our leaders and workers supported those who were deprived of nomination. So, some reactions are coming. I believe this will settle down with time,” he said. BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed said, “This is not our final selection. We still have room for reconsideration. If any decision is not fully correct in one or two places, it may be reviewed. But this will not happen widely.” Read more: Zaima Rahman joins BNP meeting for first time Another Standing Committee member said the party may reconsider nominations in a few cases after further verification. “Others may be evaluated and accommodated in different ways.” He added that BNP will take a tougher stance if similar protests occur after the final list of candidates is announced following the election schedule. Meanwhile, a BNP Standing Committee member said the party has taken up a large-scale campaign strategy focused on sector-based commitments and development-oriented messages ahead of the election. As part of this initiative, constituency-based teams comprising central, associate and front-organ leaders are being formed. The BNP leader said the teams’ task will be to present voters with leaflets explaining what BNP plans to implement if voted to power, the reforms it intends to introduce, and the overall vision for the country. Read more: Tarique cites Prophet’s ideals, seeks Islamic scholars’ support for BNP “The broader campaign will avoid negative rhetoric and instead emphasise realistic, sector-wise development plans under the theme ‘Bangladesh First.’ The manifesto, built on the party’s 31-point reform plan and the July Declaration, will outline reforms in healthcare, education, agriculture, environment and employment. Plans include affordable primary healthcare, education linked with jobs, support for farmers, major water management programmes and revival of cottage industries,” he said. During the campaign, BNP plans to attract female voters with the proposed ‘Family Card’ while appealing to the youth with a pledge to create one crore jobs within 18 months. Contacted, Dr Ziauddin Haider, a member of the BNP Chairperson’s Advisory Council, said their party’s manifesto is being prepared to build a modern Bangladesh by addressing real needs in health, education, agriculture, environment and employment. “The manifesto will be formally announced after the election schedule is declared.” Read more: BNP nomination hopefuls frustrated as party delays green signal

A day after announcing BNP’s list of 237 potential candidates for the upcoming national election, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday (4th November 2025) urged party leaders who were not nominated to have faith that the party will give them due responsibility and respect. In a post on his verified Facebook page, the veteran leader also said this election might be his last as a contestant. Fakhrul, who has been nominated to contest from Thakurgaon-1 seat, expressed his sincere thanks to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and all party leaders and activists for their longstanding support. “This may be my last election. Those who did not get the nomination, please have faith — InshAllah, the party will give you due responsibility and respect,” Fakhrul writes. Four Sitakunda BNP leaders expelled over  nomination-related violence  He recalled his long political journey and the sacrifices made by his family, saying, “When I decided to return to politics in 1987, my two daughters were very young then. They were studying in Dhaka. My wife was also very young. At first, she was completely shocked — she couldn’t realise what a life of terrible uncertainty she was stepping into.” Expressing gratitude to his wife Rahat Ara Begum, Fakhrul said she took their two daughters to school and to the doctor on her own. “I remember when my elder daughter had to undergo an operation — I spent the whole night in the car on the way to Dhaka, just so I could be by her side. I’ll tell those stories some other day, InshAllah!” he said. Fakhrul said thousands of BNP leaders and activists across the country have similar stories of sacrifice. He urged the people of the country to pray for him and all his party members. “We will stand beside you and work for you, Inshallah. BNP has the ability to take the country forward with dignity.” On Monday evening, Fakhrul announced the list of 237 BNP candidates out of a total of 300 at a press conference at the party Chairperson’s Gulshan office, disappointing many potential aspirants who were not considered for nomination. Supporters of some aspirants in different parts of the country also took to the streets to express their anger. Read more: Abbas fears interim govt may use illegal means to secure win for Jamaat, NCP

BNP on Monday (3rd November 2025) nominated 10 women to compete for 12 seats among the 237 for which it announced candidates for the upcoming national parliamentary election. That leaves the party on course to meet the requirement of nominating at least 5% women candidates for the existing 300 parliamentary seats in the next election, according to the July Charter. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the names at a press conference held at the party Chairperson’s office in Gulshan. BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has been nominated for three constituencies — Dinajpur-3, Feni-1 and Bogura-7. The other women candidates are Afroza Khan Rita (Manikganj-3), Tahsina Rushdir Luna (Sylhet-2), Farzana Sharmin Putul (Natore-1), Sabira Sultana (Jashore-2), Ishrat Sultana Ellen Bhutto (Jhalakathi-2), Sansila Jebrin (Sherpur-1), Sanzida Islam Tuli (Dhaka-14), Shama Obaed (Faridpur-2) and Chowdhury Nayab Yusuf Ahmed (Faridpur-3). At present, there are 50 reserved seats for women in the Jatiya Sangsad. Besides, under the Representation of the People Order (RPO), political parties must nominate at least 5 percent women candidates in direct elections. According to the Election Commission’s directive, all political parties are also required to have 33 percent women representation in their committees. BNP announces possible candidates for 237 constituencies The original target year for achieving this quota was 2020, but it has since been extended to 2030. In previous elections, the number of women directly elected to parliament has been limited. In the 1991 election, 5 out of 39 women candidates were elected, 8 out of 36 in 1996, 6 out of 38 in 2001, 19 out of 59 in 2008, and 18 out of 29 in 2014. In the 2018 election, 22 of 69 women candidates won, while in the 2024 polls, 19 women were directly elected. The National Consensus Commission has proposed increasing the number of reserved seats for women from 50 to 100. While most political parties have agreed to the proposal, BNP suggested that the upcoming election be held under the existing system, with the increase to take effect in the next parliament. Read more: Next election to determine Bangladesh’s future direction: CEC

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).  

BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has called a meeting of the party’s Standing Committee at noon on Monday (3rd November 2025) at the BNP Chairperson’s office in Gulshan. The meeting will begin at 12:30pm, followed by a press conference at 3pm at the same venue, said BNP media cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan. BNP’s divisional organising secretaries have also been asked to attend the meeting at the Chairperson’s office. Party sources said Tarique Rahman, who will join the meeting virtually from London, will chair the session, while other Standing Committee members will be present in person. Election uncertainty may endanger democratic transition: Tarique Several senior BNP leaders said the meeting will mainly focus on finalising single candidates for each constituency under the party and its alliance for the upcoming national election. The meeting comes a day after Tarique Rahman announced that BNP would soon release the first phase of its nomination list while launching the party’s new online payment gateway for membership renewal and registration at a programme held at a Gulshan hotel on Sunday. Tarique said it is not possible to nominate everyone, and BNP has also decided to support some candidates from other democratic parties that took part in the anti-fascist movement alongside BNP. “Because of this, some BNP aspirants may not get party nominations.” He urged all BNP leaders, workers, and supporters to accept this reality in the greater interest of the country, the people, and democracy. “Whoever receives the nomination, please work unitedly to ensure their victory. Remember, a hidden dictatorship with secret ambitions is lurking around you. So do not let petty resentments, quarrels or disputes among yourselves reach a level where the opponent can take advantage of your differences,” Tarique warned. Fakhrul urges BNP leaders to strengthen digital presence Party insiders said Tarique had held discussions with potential candidates from different divisions over the past two weeks at the Chairperson’s office. He instructed all aspirants to support whoever is officially nominated with the ‘sheaf of paddy’ symbol. Sources said the first list may include around 200 constituencies. Earlier, BNP Standing Committee Member Salahuddin Ahmed told reporters that the party expected to publish its initial list of about 200 candidates in early November. “All nominated and non-nominated aspirants must work together for the officially endorsed candidate,” Salahuddin said. Bangladesh voter count hits 12.76 crore