by Shamima Rita in Dhaka Tribune, Dec 18, 2023
Sunday was the last day for the withdrawal of nominations for the 12th general election. Many candidates withdrew their nominations on the day, including those from the ruling Awami League, Jatiya Party, Trinamool BNP and Zaker Party as well as independents.
As many as 347 contenders had withdrawn of their own accord from contention in the next general election, the Election Commission said.
Now the total number of valid candidates was 1,896, Election Commission Secretary Md Jahangir Alam said while briefing reporters at Nirbachan Bhaban at night.
The candidacy of five was pending, he said, adding that 27 political parties were contesting the 12th parliamentary election.
Twenty-seven candidates withdrew their nominations in 15 constituencies of Dhaka (from Dhaka-4 to Dhaka-18). These seats currently have 125 valid candidates.
One was from the Awami League, seven from the Jatiya Party JaPa, one from the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JaSoD), 13 from the Zaker Party, one from the Jatiya Party (JP), one from Sangskritik Muktijot, one from Islami Oikya Jote and two were independents.
Dhaka-6 lawmaker Kazi Firoz Rashid said he had stepped aside from the race as he did not want to contest it. According to sources, he apparently withdrew his candidacy as his constituency was not among those that the ruling party shared with JaPa.
JP General Secretary Sheikh Shahidul Islam withdrew his nomination for Dhaka-14. While independent candidate Salma Islam of the Jatiya Party withdrew her nomination for Dhaka-17, she is expected to contest the election from Dhaka-1.
On the other hand, JaPa chief GM Quader, who had filed his papers for Dhaka-17, withdrew his nomination deciding to take part in the polls from Rangpur-3.
In Dhaka-18, the Zaker’s Party’s Sharif Hossain and the Awami League’s Mohammad Habib Hasan withdrew their nominations.
Outside Dhaka
On the other hand, 122 people withdrew their nominations in 24 districts, including Gazipur, Gopalganj, Bogra, Barisal and Khulna.
Seven candidates in Gazipur decided not to run for office in five constituencies of Gazipur. Among them, five were from the Zaker Party, one from the Jatiya Party and another from Trinamool BNP.
Two Zaker Party candidates withdrew their nominations from two constituencies of Gopalganj.
Ten out of 64 candidates for eight constituencies in Tangail also withdrew nominations.
In three Manikganj constituencies, seven candidates withdrew their candidacies, including the Awami League’s Bir Muktijodha Advocate Abdus Salam, withdrew their nominations, while six did the same in Chandpur.
In Pirojpur, six people withdrew their nominations in the district’s three constituencies.
Three candidates of the Zaker Party withdrew their nominations in three out of the five constituencies of Jamalpur.
Three candidates withdrew their nominations in two constituencies of Lakshmipur. Awami League candidate Faridunnahar Laili withdrew her nomination in Lakshmipur-4 (Ramgati-Kamalnagar) as her party shared that seat with its alliance member.
Four candidates withdrew their nominations in three Faridpur constituencies. Three of them are from the Zaker Party and one was an independent candidate.
Six people withdrew their candidacies in Sylhet. Independent candidate Advocate Misbah Uddin Siraj, who is a local Awami League leader, decided to step aside in support of his party’s decision to field Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen in the seat.
In Panchagarh, five candidates, including a current MP, withdrew their nominations. In Panchagarh-1, sitting lawmaker and Panchagarh Awami League Senior Vice President Md Majaharul Haque had filed his papers as an independent candidate due to his party choosing to nominate someone else.
In Nilphamari, Awami League candidate Golam Mostafa in Nilphamari-3 and Awami League candidate Zakir Hossain Babul in Nilphamari-4 withdrew their nominations.
Meanwhile, in Bogra, 11 people, including three from the Awami League, withdrew their candidacy. The Awami League has left those three seats out of seven in total to its partners in the 14-party alliance.
A total of nine candidates, including Awami League MP Nasimul Alam Chowdhury of Comilla-8, who had filed his papers as an independent candidate, decided to withdraw their nominations in Comilla.
Five candidates withdrew their nominations in 4 constituencies of Natore, while three candidates from the Zaker Party did the same in Pabna.
In Netrokona, two people from the Zaker Party withdrew their nominations in Netrokona-2 and Netrokona-3.
In Barisal, 11 people withdrew their candidacies, including Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon for Barisal-3. However, the politician will contest the polls from Barisal-2 with the Awami League’s boat symbol as an alliance member.
Meanwhile, three people withdrew their nominations in the four constituencies of Patuakhali.
Five candidates of the Zaker Party withdrew their nominations from five out of six constituencies of Khulna, leaving SM Sabbir Hossain (Khulna-3) as the party’s only candidate in the district.
Asaduzzaman Babu, the Awami League candidate for Satkhira-2, and five others withdrew their nominations from Satkhira’s four constituencies.
Meanwhile, Md Mizanur Rahman, the candidate of the Zaker Party in Narail-2, also withdrew his nomination.
In the three constituencies of Feni, five candidates from different parties, including the Awami League’s Abul Basha (Feni-3) and JaSoD’s Shirin Akhter (Feni-1) withdrew their candidacies.
The Jatiya Party’s Harun Rashid Matbar decided to withdraw from the election race in Rangamati citing personal reasons.
The Election Commission will allocate symbols to the remaining candidates on Monday, and then election campaigns will continue till January 5.
https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/election/334200/1-896-left-to-run-for-parliament-after-347-drop
