There was a day-long discussion between the leaders and workers of the two alliances about who is getting how many seats among the 20-party alliance led by BNP and the participating parties of Jatiya Oikya Front. Periodic meetings were held on this. As the seat distribution was not finalized during the day, the BNP chairperson's office in Gulshan also held a closed-door meeting with the alliance-front leaders on the same day. There, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir along with the members of the Standing Committee held separate meetings with the leaders of the two alliances.
At the end of the meeting, an agreement was reached on the seat distribution of BNP with the 20-party alliance. However, the BNP will hold a meeting with the Jatiya Oikya Front again on Monday to finalize the seat distribution. The two alliances have agreed to concede 60 seats till the last news on Sunday night. Out of this, 42 seats will be given to the 20-party alliance and 18 to Jatiya Oikya Front. BNP can leave maximum 7 to 10 seats to Gano Forum within Jatiya Oikya Front.
Besides, BNP will give 2-3 seats to Nagrik Oikya, 3 seats to Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSDK and 3 seats to Krishak Sramik Janata League. According to sources of the 20-party alliance, they can get as many as 42 seats by negotiating with BNP. It is said that the BNP has finalized the seat distribution after discussing this with the alliance partners separately till Sunday night.
In this regard, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said that for the last four days they have interviewed the party's nominees. Other parties of Jatiya Oikya Front have been interviewed. The 20-team partner teams were also interviewed. A final list of candidates will now be discussed and agreed upon. Last date for submission of nomination papers is 28 November. Before this all candidate list will be final.
It is learned that Jamaat, a partner of the 20-party alliance, is negotiating to get 35 seats in the end. BNP has agreed to give them a maximum of 25 seats. In the 2008 elections, Jamaat was elected in 38 constituencies and got alliance nomination in 33 constituencies. Both BNP and Jamaat had candidates in five seats. Jamaat wants alliance nomination in 27 out of 33 last time.
Jamaat came second in three of the five open seats last year. BNP's position was third. Jamaat wants alliance nomination in these too. In addition to those 30, Jamaat seeks new nominations in Rajshahi-1, Bogra-4, Dhaka-15, Satkhira-1 and Chittagong-16 constituencies. However, BNP has agreed to give 25 seats to Jamaat till last night. Jamaat claimed 27 seats. In the remaining two they are said to be able to hold independent elections.
BNP leaving Jamaat: These are: Thakurgaon-2 Maulana Abdul Hakim, Dinajpur-1 Maulana Abu Hanif, Dinajpur-6 Anwarul Islam, Nilphamari-3 Mohammad Azizul Islam, Lalmonirhat-1 Abu Hena Md. Ershad Hossain Saju, Rangpur-5 Prof. Golam Rabbani, Kurigram-4 Nurul Alam Mukul, Gaibandha-1 Prof. Majedur Rahman, Gaibandha-4 Dr. Abdur Rahim Sarkar, Bogra-4 Maw. Taib Ali, Sirajganj-4 Rafiqul Islam Khan, Pabna-1 Abdul Baset, Pabna-5 Iqbal Hossain, Jessore-2 Abu Sayeed Muhammad Shahadat Hossain, Bagerhat-3 Advocate Abdul Wadud, Bagerhat-4 Abdul Alim; Khulna-5 Mia Golam Parwar; Khulna-6 Abul Kalam Azad, Satkhira-2 Muhaddis Abdul Khalek, Satkhira-3 Mufti Rabiul Bashar, Satkhira-4 Gazi Nazrul Islam, Pirojpur-2 Shamim Saidi, Sylhet-5 Maulana Farid Uddin Chowdhury, Sylhet-6 Maulana Habibur Rahman, Comilla -11 Dr. Syed Abdullah Md. Taher, Chittagong-15 and Shamsul Islam, Cox's Bazar-2 Hamidur Rahman Azad.
Apart from this, LDP's Colonel (retd.) Oli Ahmed wants 6 seats in the 20-party alliance. BNP has agreed to give them concession in four seats. LDP hopes to get the remaining two. Their seats are - Colonel Oli Ahmed (Chittagong-14), General Secretary of the party. Redwan Ahmed (Comilla-7), Shahadat Hossain Salim (Laxmipur-1), Abdul Karim Abbasi (Netrakona-2), M Yakub Ali (Chittagong-12) and Advocate Manzoor Morshed (Mymensingh-10) are among them.
Apart from this, Bangladesh National Party (BJP) Chairman Andalib Rahman Partha (Bhola-1), Kalyan Party Chairman Major General (Retd.) Syed Muhammad Ibrahim (Chittagong-5), Jagpa Shafiul Alam Pradhan's daughter Barrister Tasmia Pradhan (Panchgarh) -2), Moshiur Rahman Yadu Mia's daughter Rita Rahman of People's Party of Bangladesh (Nilfamari-1), for Mufti Mohammad Waqqas of Jamiat Ulama (Jesore-5), Shahinur Pasha Chowdhury of Jamiat Ulama (Sunamganj-3), Sukriti Kumar of Bangladesh Minority Janata Party. (Jesore-4). Khilafat Majlis Secretary General Professor Ahmed Abdul Quader (Habiganj-4), President of NPP Dr. Fariduzzaman Farhad (Narail-2). Zapa (Zafar) Acting Chairman Dr. TI Fazle Rabbi (Gaibandha-3), Party General Secretary Mustafa Jamal Haider (Pirojpur-1). It is said that the party is trying hard for two more seats. Ahsan Habib Lincoln (Kushtia-2) is one of them. However, in addition to the political party, the General Secretary of the Communist Party, Comrade Said Ahmed (Narayanganj-5), Bangladesh Labor Party Dr. Mostafizur Rahman is seeking nomination for Iran (Pirojpur-1) seat.
Jatiya Oikya Front: Oikya Front leaders include Mustafa Mohsin Montu of Gano Forum (Dhaka-7), Advocate Subrat Chowdhury (Dhaka-6), Sultan Mohammad Mansoor Ahmad of Oikya Process (Moulvibazar-2), Awami League leader and former Finance Minister Shah AMS Kibriar who joined the Gano Forum. BNP may give away the seats of son Shah Reza Kibria (Habiganj-1), Mofizul Islam Khan Kamal (Manikganj-3) and Jane Alam (Chittagong-10). The Gano Forum is said to want three more seats.
JSD President ASM Abdur Rab (Laxmipur-4), Tanya Rab (Dhaka-18), Abdul Malek Ratan (Comilla-4). JSD is negotiating for two more seats. Krishak Sramik Janata League president Bangbir Quader Siddiqui's name is for one of these two seats (Tangail-4) and (Tangail-8). Apart from this, Krishak Sramik Janata League is seeking seat for Iqbal Siddiqui (Gazipur-3). BNP has confirmed the nomination of the convenor of Nagrik Oikya Mahmudur Rahman Manna (Bogra-2) seat. Apart from this, it is said that he has demanded one more seat from BNP along with SM Akram Hossain (Narayanganj-2) seat.
Mustafa Mohsin Montu, general secretary of Ganaforum, said, 'We want honest and qualified candidates to be nominated. In that case it does not matter how many seats are being given to whom. I hope that he will be able to fulfill his duties with a good image in the National Parliament.'
When asked whether the seat of Jatiya Oikya Front has been finalised, Mahmudur Rahman Manna, convenor of Nagarik Oikya, said on Sunday evening, 'The candidate list of Oikya Front has not been finalized yet. But I hope it will be finalized soon. We have given the list of party candidates for 35 constituencies. Now there is no problem even if BNP logically gives five seats. I want to contest the election by maintaining good relations with them.
