Dhaka: BNP Standing Committee Member Major (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed today announced that the party is set to finalize seat sharing arrangements with its allied parties by tomorrow. The decision comes as part of the BNP's strategy to consolidate forces with parties that participated in the simultaneous movement against the Awami League government.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Major Hafiz briefed journalists following an exchange of views meeting with 100 nominated party candidates at the BNP Chairperson's Gulshan office. He stated that the BNP has already declared candidates for 266 seats, while the remaining 36 seats' decisions will be concluded by tomorrow or the day after. The party is focusing on preparing its candidates for the upcoming polls by emphasizing electoral strategies and responsibilities to align with public expectations.
Major Hafiz highlighted that a religion-based party and other quarters are spreading propaganda against the BNP. To counter these tactics, party candidates have been advised on effective countermeasures. The BNP is not underestimating its rival party and has provided a theoretical framework to its candidates for conducting election activities. The candidates were also briefed on the BNP's 31-point programme and instructed on the use of visual and non-visual media to bolster their campaigns.
The BNP's media cell has produced short reels to counter false propaganda, and these are ready for use. Major Hafiz mentioned that the BNP is often depicted as a 'party of extortionists,' but research through public engagements in various regions indicates that a significant portion of such allegations are unfounded. Candidates have received documentary videos with facts and figures to combat these narratives, delivered via laptops and pen drives.
The discussion extended to other initiatives such as development projects and specific schemes like family cards and farmer cards, with a focus on their presentation to farmers. Major Hafiz stressed the importance of maintaining a positive electoral campaign, ensuring that candidates provide well-informed responses to false accusations against the party.
He also noted that an election team is disseminating content to ensure the public, especially marginalized groups, understand BNP's policies clearly. These efforts aim to prepare candidates for potential challenges during the election process. Major Hafiz reinforced that consistent messaging is crucial for party unity and expressed confidence that, drawing from past experiences of being elected to power, the BNP will once again gain the people's mandate.