Dhaka: BNP has nominated the highest number of female candidates for the upcoming 13th parliamentary election, party election steering committee spokesperson Mahdi Amin said on Monday, criticizing Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and several other parties for not nominating a single woman.
According to United News of Bangladesh, Mahdi Amin highlighted that BNP has nominated 10 women candidates, reflecting its commitment to women’s empowerment. He emphasized that the party is determined to increase this number in the future. Mahdi expressed disappointment over political parties that have not nominated any women, despite women making up half of the country’s population.
In the forthcoming national parliamentary election, BNP candidates are contesting in 292 constituencies with the ‘Sheaf of Paddy’. Among these candidates, 85 are former members of parliament who have direct experience serving the public. Additionally, 19 former ministers are also contesting with the BNP symbol, providing the party with a distinct advantage due to their past experience in state administration and public engagement. Mahdi noted that 237 BNP candidates hold at least a bachelor’s degree.
Mahdi also pointed out that BNP candidates include individuals who were victims of enforced disappearance during what he termed the ‘fascist period’. He named Salahuddin Ahmed, Anisul Rahman Talukder Khokon, and Hummam Quader Chowdhury as candidates who were victims of enforced disappearance. Furthermore, the BNP has nominated relatives of such victims, including former MP Ilias Ali’s wife Tahsina Rushdir Luna and Sanjida Islam Tuli.
The BNP spokesperson stated that nearly all BNP candidates are facing multiple cases, with many having more than a hundred cases filed against them.
Mahdi criticized Jamaat for exploiting religious sentiments to influence voters during its election campaign. He highlighted that certain posts and videos on social media suggested that voting for Jamaat’s election symbol was a religious obligation. Such actions, he said, damage the transparency and neutrality of the election and violate Article 77(1)(c) of the Representation of the People Order, 1972.
In an indirect reference to Jamaat, Mahdi alleged that activists are collecting photocopies of women voters’ NID cards, mobile numbers, and bKash account details, potentially for misuse in voting fraud. He urged the Election Commission to take immediate action to stop these illegal activities.
Mahdi also questioned the plan to deploy Ansar and VDP members at polling centers, expressing concerns about neutrality if local residents are appointed for election duties. He called for assigning them duties outside their areas to ensure impartiality.
Responding to a question, Mahdi reaffirmed BNP’s belief in the importance of sovereignty and hoped the democratic world would respect Bangladesh’s electoral process.