United News of Bangladesh

BNP has reached an electoral understanding with seven more alliance partners of the anti-fascist movement, leaving eight parliamentary seats for them for the upcoming national election. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the list at a press conference at the party Chairperson’s Gulshan office on Wednesday afternoon (December 24, 2025). Under the arrangement, Nagorik Oikya President Mahmudur Rahman Manna will contest from Bogura-2, Jatiya Party (Kazi Zafar) leader Mostafa Jamal Haider from Pirojpur-1, and National People’s Party (NPP) Chairman Fariduzzaman Farhad from Narail-2. Islami Oikya Jote leader Mufti Rashid Bin Wakkas will contest from Jashore-5, while Gono Odhikar Parishad President Nurul Haque Nur will contest from Patuakhali-3 and the party’s General Secretary Rashed Khan from Jhenaidah-4. Bangladesh Revolutionary Workers Party General Secretary Saiful Haque will contest from Dhaka-12, and Ganosanghati Andolon Chief Coordinator Zonayed Saki from Brahmanbaria-6. LDP Secretary General Dr Redwan joins BNP Fakhrul said BNP reached the understanding after long discussions with the parties that simultaneously took part in the anti-fascist movement. “After detailed discussions with our partners in the simultaneous movement, we have reached agreements on these seats. I am sharing the list with you today.” He said discussions with other partners are still ongoing and more decisions may be announced later. Read more: LDP Secretary General Dr Redwan joins BNP The BNP Secretary General also said Cumilla-7 seat has been allocated to Dr Redowan Ahmed, who joined BNP on Wednesday, while Dhaka-13 has been allocated to NDM Chairman Bobby Hajjaj, who is expected to join the party soon. Fakhrul said alliance partners will contest the election with their respective party symbols, while those who have joined BNP will contest with the party’s ‘Sheaf of Paddy’ symbol. Warning party leaders and activists, Fakhrul said BNP will not field any candidate in the seats left for alliance partners as per the central decision. “If anyone contests as an independent candidate in those seats, organisational action will be taken against them,” he said. BNP Standing Committee Members Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury and Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku were present at the press conference. Earlier on Tuesday, the party announced to leave four seats for Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh, ahead of the upcoming 13th national parliamentary election. The Jamiat candidates are Md Manjurul Islam Afendi in Nilphamari-1, Monir Hossain Kasemi in Narayanganj-4, Md Ubaidullah Faruq in Sylhet-5 and Junayed Al Habib in Brahmanbaria-2. BNP has already announced party candidates for 272 of the 300 parliamentary seats in two phases. Read more: Homebound Finally: Tarique set to arrive in Dhaka on Thursday morning Of the remaining 28 seats, four were allocated to Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh on Tuesday, while eight more seats were allocated to other alliance partners on Wednesday. Sixteen seats are yet to be finalised.

Dr Redwan Ahmed, Secretary General of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), formally joined the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Wednesday and will contest the upcoming national election from the Cumilla-7 constituency under the party’s electoral symbol, the Sheaf of Paddy. Redwan Ahmed arrived at the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office in the morning and formally joined the party at simple programme, leaving the LDP. Speaking on the occasion, he said, “We were part of the joint movement, and I agree with the number of seats BNP will leave for the LDP as an alliance partner. However, my party chairman Oli Ahmed does not agree with this decision.” He said most members of the LDP Standing Committee, as well as leaders and activists across the country, shared his position. “I hope Oli Ahmed will reconsider and agree to an electoral understanding with the BNP….whether he contests the election or not, I will contest it in agreement with BNP. I have been associated with the BNP since its early days, which is why I am formally returning to the party and will take part in the election,” Redwan said. Read more: BNP strikes election deal with 7 more partners, reserves 8 seats He also confirmed that he has already submitted his resignation letter to the LDP chairman and claimed that many LDP leaders and activists nationwide would join the BNP and work for its candidates. Welcoming him, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir congratulated Redwan Ahmed, saying his return was like “a son coming back home” and that it would further strengthen the BNP. He announced that Redwan Ahmed would contest the next election as the BNP candidate from the Cumilla-7 constituency. BNP Standing Committee members Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, and Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku were present at the joining ceremony. Read more: Shahadat Hossain Selim joins BNP dissolving his party