As the deadline for withdrawing nominations ended on Monday (20 January), a clearer picture has emerged of which political parties will contest which constituencies in the upcoming parliamentary election.
Major parties including BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizen Party (NCP) have withdrawn nominations in seats they are not contesting and retained only their final candidates. Although none of the parties has formally announced final seat counts, discussions with party sources indicate that the BNP will contest at least 285 seats using the Sheaf of Paddy symbol. Jamaat-e-Islami is expected to contest at least 215 seats with the Scales symbol, while the NCP will contest at least 29 seats with the Water Lily Bud symbol.
Islami Andolan Bangladesh, which recently left the Jamaat-led alliance, will contest 259 seats. The Jatiya Party (GM Quader faction) has finalised candidates in 195 seats, while Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis has done so in 29 seats.
Gono Odhikar Parishad, which initially submitted nominations in 102 constituencies, will ultimately contest 91 seats after 13 candidates withdrew their nominations. The party will use the Truck symbol.
Jamaat-e-Islami Assistant Secretary General Ehsanul Mahbub Jubayer told The Business Standard that the party retained candidates in constituencies covered by alliance understandings and withdrew from others.
“At least 215 Jamaat candidates will contest with the Scales symbol,” he said.
However, he noted that in at least two constituencies, local supporters did not allow alliance candidates to withdraw. “In those areas, activists confined the candidates. As a result, Jamaat candidates will contest alongside alliance candidates in those seats,” he added.
In Moulvibazar-3, Jamaat supporters reportedly confined party-nominated candidate Md Abdul Mannan at his residence to prevent him from withdrawing his nomination. The seat had been allocated to Ahmad Belal of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis under the 10-party alliance.
A similar incident occurred in Sunamganj-1, where Jamaat candidate and district ameer Maulana Tofayel Ahmed was reportedly locked inside the party’s district office by supporters. That seat was meant to be left for Maulana Mujammil Haque Talukder of the Bangladesh Nezame Islam Party, another alliance partner.
According to the election schedule, Tuesday was the final day for withdrawing nominations in 298 constituencies, excluding Pabna-1 and Pabna-2, where withdrawals will take place later under a separate timeline.
The 13th parliamentary election and referendum will be held on 12 February. More than 2,000 candidates from 51 political parties, along with independent candidates, are contesting the election.
Through the appeal process, 417 candidates regained eligibility. The deadline for submitting nomination papers was 29 December, during which 2,568 nominations were filed.
