Top leaders of six registered political parties, including three
opposition alliance partners, were taken aback by the disclosure of
Election Commission that candidates from their parties had submitted
nomination papers for contesting the next general elections.
All six parties said they had not fielded any candidates or issued any nomination letters.
Three opposition alliance partners said it was a ‘plot’ to create
‘confusion’ among the allies and asked the EC how they had accepted
nomination papers without authentication by the leadership of the
respective parties.
They said they would not participate in the election unless there was a non-party or neutral election-time government.
The Election Commission said that candidates of 20 political parties had
submitted nomination papers till December 2, the last date for
submission of papers.
Jatiya Party JP (Manju), the Ershad-led Jatiya Party, Jatiya Party-JP,
Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Inu) and Workers Party of Bangladesh, submitted
nomination papers.
Allies of the AL – Bangladesh Tariqat Federation and Bangladesh National
Awami Party and Ganatantry Party and the newly floated Bangladesh
Nationalist Front – are also in the race.
Besides, candidates from Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), Bangladesh
Samajtantrik Dal, Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP), Bangladesh Muslim
League, Gana Front, Bangladesh National Awami Party (Bangladesh NAP),
Bangladesh Jatiya Party (Matin), Islamic Front Bangladesh, Bangladesh
Khelafat Majlish, Bangladesh Islami Front and Khelafat Majlish also
submitted nomination papers for the January 5 polls.
According to the EC website, Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal, was an unregistered party.
Surprised by the disclosure of EC, six parties said that they had not
submitted any nominations papers. The parties are – Jatiya Samajtantrik
Dal (JSD-Rab) Bangladesh Muslim League, Islamic Front Bangladesh,
Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP), Khelafat Majlish and Bangladesh National
Awami Party (Bangladesh NAP).
Three of the parties – Jatiya Party (BJP), Khelafat Majlish and
Bangladesh NAP – are components of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led
opposition alliance.
Jatiya Party (BJP) chairman Andaleeve Rahman said, ‘It is ridiculous… Nobody from my party has
submitted nomination. I have not signed anybody’s nomination papers’.
Khelafat Majlish general secretary Ahmed Abdul Kader and Bangladesh NAP
general secretary Golam Mostafa said none from their respective parties
had submitted nomination papers.
‘It was part of plot to create confusion and split our alliance,’ said Golam Mostafa.
They said it was irresponsible on the part of the EC to do so and asked
how the commission could accept nomination papers without authentication
by the leadership of the respective parties.
Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD-Rab) general secretary Malek Ratan, Islamic
Front Bangladesh secretary general Abul Bashar Mohammad Jainal Abedin
and Bangladesh Muslim League Nurul Haque Majumder said that no
candidates from their parties had submitted nomination papers.
‘The Election Commission has made false claims…,’ said Abul Bashar Mohammad Jainal Abedin.
BNP chairperson’s advisory council member Ahmed Azam Khan said no
leaders or activists of the components of the alliance had submitted
nomination papers. (source)