Politics
BNP to Finalize Candidates for Over 200 Seats by October
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) plans to finalize its candidates for more than 200 constituencies within October ahead of the upcoming 13th national election. Party sources say nominees will receive a “green signal” this month, though some Standing Committee members have suggested making the list public to avoid confusion at the grassroots level.
The matter was discussed at a Standing Committee meeting held Monday night at the party chairperson’s office in Gulshan, presided over virtually by acting chairman Tarique Rahman from London.
With the Awami League’s activities currently banned, Jamaat-e-Islami is being viewed as the BNP’s main rival in the upcoming polls. Jamaat has already announced its candidates and begun campaigning, while multiple BNP aspirants remain active in various constituencies. Party organizers and grassroots leaders have urged the high command to declare candidates soon to maintain momentum.
The meeting also expressed concern over the Election Commission’s preparation of a nationwide panel of polling officers, alleging that many officials were previously linked to a rival student organization. BNP fears this could jeopardize the election’s neutrality. The party is scheduled to meet the Chief Election Commissioner today (Wednesday) to demand a fair and transparent process.
BNP leaders further discussed the role of some advisers in the interim government, accusing them of biased actions and political favoritism in administrative appointments. On Tuesday evening, a three-member BNP delegation, led by Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, met the Chief Adviser at the state guest house Jamuna to convey the party’s concerns.
A youth wing activist of the opposition BNP was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Raozan upazila of Chattogram on Saturday afternoon. The victim was identified as Mohammad Alamgir, known as Alam, 49, son of Abdus Sattar from Siddiq Chowdhury Para under East Raozan.
According to police and witnesses, Alamgir was returning home on a motorcycle after attending a family program when gunmen opened fire near the old graveyard beside Rashid’s Para mosque around 4:30 p.m. He died on the spot.
Locals alleged that law and order in Raozan has long been under the influence of “individual control” rather than administration. “There’s no real authority here — one strongman replaces another, but violence never stops,” said a resident who preferred anonymity.
Officer-in-Charge of Raozan Police Station Monirul Islam Bhuiyan said no case has been filed yet but police are conducting raids to arrest the attackers.
Earlier on October 7, another BNP activist from Raozan, Muhammad Abdul Hakim, was shot dead in neighboring Hathazari upazila. The two killings have sparked tension and fear across the region.
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman has sought unconditional apology for the party’s “past mistakes.”
According to party sources, he made the remarks during a meeting with journalists in New York on Wednesday.
“We admit our past mistakes and seek unconditional forgiveness from the people of Bangladesh,” said Dr. Rahman.
He also called for a referendum on the proportional representation (PR) system and other national issues before the next general election.
Dr. Rahman noted that there was “no uncertainty” about holding the national election before Ramadan in February.
“If Jamaat comes to power, minority communities will enjoy full constitutional protection and live without fear,” he added.
On relations with India, the Jamaat chief said, “We want a relationship based on equality and mutual respect.”
The party’s central office later said the remarks reflect Jamaat’s ongoing effort to “reaffirm its democratic and inclusive political stance.”
Nahid Islam, the convener of the National Citizens’ Party (NCP), has sharply criticized Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s so-called “Proportional Representation (PR) Movement,” calling it a political deception.
In a Facebook post on Sunday (October 19), Nahid claimed the movement was designed to derail the reform activities of the National Consensus Commission and divert the national dialogue away from the people’s movement for restructuring the state and the constitution.
He argued that the demand for forming an upper house in parliament based on proportional representation was originally intended as part of a broader constitutional safeguard.
According to Nahid Islam, the July Charter sought to establish a legal framework for building an inclusive and accountable political structure, aiming to strengthen national unity.
