Highlights:
- 30 former BNP lawmakers participating
- 24 BNP leaders now independent candidates
- 19 former BNP leaders taking part from Trinamool BNP, BNM
Dozens of leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) will take part in the upcoming Jatiya Sangsad election, deliberately ignoring the party’s decision to boycott the polls. Many BNP leaders have already become independent candidates while some others are participating in the election from Trinamool BNP and Bangladesh Nationalist Movement (BNM).
At least three former BNP vice-chairmen, two advisers to the party chairperson, several executive committee members, and different influential field-level leaders have also become independent candidates in the upcoming parliamentary elections, according to available data from the Election Commission.
Some 30 former BNP lawmakers are taking part in the election as independent candidates or from other political parties. The number of former and expelled BNP leaders who are independent candidates is 24. Apart from this, 19 other former leaders of various levels of BNP are taking part in the election from Trinamool BNP and BNM. In total, 43 former BNP leaders have become candidates in the upcoming elections.
Four Candidates in Four Bogura Constituencies
Four former BNP leaders have become independent candidates in the four constituencies of Bogura, a ‘stronghold’ of BNP. Among them, Ziaul Haque Mollah, a former member of the party’s national executive committee, is vying for the election from Bogura-4 (Kahalu-Nandigram) constituency.
“For a long time, the party did not value me. I was disqualified for being a reformist. I became an independent candidate thinking about my political future.”
— Ziaul Haque Mollah, former BNP executive committee member
Commenting about becoming an independent candidate, he told the media, “For a long time, the party did not value me. I was disqualified for being a reformist. I became an independent candidate thinking about my political future because I realized that there is no place for me in the party.”
Ziaul was first elected as a lawmaker of the BNP from Bogura-4 constituency in a by-election in 1994. He was reelected thrice from the same seat from BNP in 1996 (February 15 and June 12) and in 2001.
Apart from Ziaul, former district BNP adviser Mohammad Shokrana submitted nomination papers for the Bogura-1 (Sariakandi-Sonatala) constituency. Moreover, Beauty Begum, former Women’s Secretary of district BNP, has become an independent candidate from the Bogura-2 (Shibganj) constituency. She is the former vice chairman of Shibganj Upazila Parishad.
Sarkar Badal, former president of Bogura Sadar Upazila BNP and former chairman of Shajahanpur Upazila, is vying for the parliamentary election from the Bogura-7 (Shajahanpur-Gabatli) constituency.
Two Former BNP MPs to Contest Polls in Mymensingh
BNP National Executive Committee member Shah Shaheed Sarwar has also become an independent candidate. He is a former BNP lawmaker from Mymensingh-2 (Phulpur-Tarakanda) constituency. He was elected MP in 2001. Then in 2008 and 2018, he took part in the elections from BNP.
Delwar Hossain Khan, another former BNP MP, has submitted nomination papers as an independent candidate for Mymensingh-4 (Sadar) constituency. He became a lawmaker from this constituency in 2001.
BNP expelled Shah Shaheed Sarwar as an independent candidate from the post of executive committee member on November 30.
Two in Tangail, one in Kishoreganj
Former BNP lawmaker Khandkar Anwarul Haque has become an independent candidate in Tangail-1 (Madhupur-Dhanbari) constituency. Talking to the media, he said, “I am neglected in the party. I am not invited to any meeting. I think the party doesn’t need me anymore. Therefore, I have decided to participate in the polls although BNP has boycotted it.”
Khandkar Ahsan Habib, an expelled executive committee member of BNP, has submitted nomination papers for Tangail-5 seat.
Former MP of BNP Major (retd) Akhtaruzzaman has become an independent candidate for Kishoreganj-2 constituency. He was elected MP twice consecutively in 1991 and 1996 from BNP. In the 2001 and 2018 elections also, he was nominated by BNP. He is the former president of Kishoreganj district BNP. The party expelled him several times.
Four Expelled Central Leaders in Election
BNP’s former vice chairman Shaukat Mahmud has become an independent candidate in Cumilla-5 constituency. Shaukat Mahmud, who left journalism and joined politics, was expelled by BNP on March 21 for his involvement in an organization called the ‘Jatiya Insaf Qayyem Committee’.
Talking to the media, Mahmud said, “If the BNP had joined the polls, the people would have had an opportunity to express their views. The government will not be able to rig the election as the foreign countries are keenly observing the electoral process.”
“The allegation against me that the party will be broken by the Insaf Committee was not true. I did not join any other party. I became an independent candidate being pressured by the supporters,” he said.
Syed AK Ekramuzzaman, a former advisor to BNP chairperson, has become an independent candidate from Brahmanbaria-1 constituency. He was also expelled from the party.
Abul Kashem Fakhrul, another former executive committee member, has become an independent candidate from Jhalokathi-1 constituency.
Jamalpur Sadar Upazila BNP member Mahabubul Hasan has submitted nomination papers as an independent candidate for Jamalpur-1 (Dewanganj-Bakshiganj) constituency. He was expelled from the party on November 28.
Deserting BNP for Trinamool BNP to Join Polls
At least 13 top leaders of BNP are taking part in the election joining the Trinamool BNP. Two top leaders of Trinamool BNP, Samsher Mobin Chowdhury and Taimur Alam Khandkar were advisors to BNP Chairperson. Samsher is a candidate for Sylhet-6 constituency and Taimur for Narayanganj-1.
Among the candidates of this party are former BNP lawmakers MM Shahin from Moulvibazar-2 constituency, Nuruddin Ahmed from Jhenaidah-2 constituency, and Abdul Gani from Meherpur-2 constituency.
MM Shaheen was once the Vice President of Moulvibazar District BNP. This former BNP leader was elected MP vying for the February 15, 1996 election. In the 2001 election, he was re-elected as a ‘rebel’ candidate of BNP.
Moreover, former vice-president of Chattogram North District BNP Nazim Uddin (Chattogram-5), former Vice President of Alamdanga Municipal BNP Taizal Haque (Chuadanga-1), former vice-president of Haripur Upazila BNP Mozaffar Ahmed (Thakurgaon-2), vice-president of Nationalist Lawyers Forum Abdul Qadir Talukdar (Chandpur-4), and Gazipur Metropolitan BNP leader Jabbar Sarkar (Gazipur-1) have also become candidates from the Trinamool BNP.
Trinamool BNP candidates also include former Boda Upazila BNP president and former chairman of Upazila Parishad Abdul Aziz (Panchagarh-2), Sherpur District BNP Assistant Secretary Md Zayedur Rashid (Sherpur-2), and expelled member of Nagarpur upazila BNP Khandkar Wahid Murad (Tangail-6).
BNP leaders in BNM
Three former lawmakers of BNP have been nominated from the Bangladesh Nationalist Movement (BNM). They are Shah Mohammad Abu Zafar from Faridpur-1, Abdur Rahman from Barguna-2 and Dewan Shamsul Abedin from Sunamganj-4 constituency. Among them, Shamsul Abedin became MP in the 1979 election from Sunamganj-3 constituency.
Apart from this, former general secretary of Rajshahi District BNP Matiur Rahman is vying for the election from Rajshahi-3 constituency from BNM. Besides, former joint convener of Chapainawabganj district BNP and ex-mayor of Chapainawabganj municipality Abdul Matin (Chapainawabganj-3) and Sherpur district BNP’s former member Mohammad Abdullah (Sherpur-1) are also BNM candidates.
List of BNP Leaders Participating in Parliamentary Polls
| Name | Post in BNP | Constituency |
| AKM Ekramuzzaman | Advisor to chairperson | Brahmanbaria-1 |
| Manjur Alam | Advisor to chairperson | Chattogram-5 |
| Shaukat Mahmud | Advisor to chairperson | Cumilla-5 |
| Taimur Alam Khandkar | Advisor to chairperson | Narayanganj-1 |
| Shamser Mubin Chowdhury | Adviser to chairperson | Sylhet-6 |
| Abdul Ghani | Former MP | Meherpur-2 |
| Shah Mohammad Abu Zafar | Former MP | Faridpur-1 |
| Abdul Wahab | Former MP | Jhenaidah-2 |
| Dewan Shamsul Abedin | Former MP | Sunamganj-4 |
| Abdur Rahman | Former MP | Barguna-2 |
| CM Shafi Mahmud | Former MP | Brahmanbaria-2 |
| Major (retd) Akhtaruzzaman | Former MP | Kishoreganj-2 |
| Ziaul Haque Molla | Executive committee member | Bogura-4 |
| Mohammad Shokrana | Central committee member | Bogura-1 |
| Khandkar Ahsan Habib | Executive committee member | Tangail-5 |
| Barrister AKM Fakhrul Islam | Executive committee member | Jhalokathi-2 |
| Major (retd) Hanif | Executive committee member | Sirajganj-2 |
| Mainul Hassan | District committee member | Brahmanbaria-2 |
| Shahinur Pasha Chowdhury | Former MP | Sunamganj-3 |
| SM Shahin | Former MP | Moulvibazar-2 |
| Chowdhury Irad Ahmed Siddiqui | Standing Committee Member | Gazipur-1 |
| Swapan Sarkar | Party leader | Rajbari-1 |
| Monirul Islam Mintu | Former central VP of Chhatra Dal | Tangail-8 |
| Dewan Nazim Uddin Manju | President of Dhamrai Municipality BNP | Dhaka-20 |
| Beauty Begum | Women’s Secretary of Bogura unit | Bogura-2 |
| Sarkar Badal | president of Bogura Sadar Upazila unit | Bogura-7 |
| Muhammad Giyas Uddin | Former MP | Narayanganj-4 |
| Anwar Hossain Manju | Joint Convener of Juri Upazila Secchasebak Dal | Moulvibazar-1 |
| Matiur Rahman Montu | general secretary of Rajshahi district unit | Rajshahi-3 |
| Advocate Nur Qutub Alam Chowdhury | Former MP | Nilphamari-1 |
| Mohammad Shahjahan | Former Chhatra Dal leader | Chandpur-4 |
| Advocate ABM Waliur Rahman Khan | Central leader | Narayanganj-3 |
| Nazim Uddin | District BNP vice-president | Chattogram-6 |
| Abu Junaid Billal | Former Chhatra Dal leader | Mymensingh-9 |
| Iman Ali Iman | Chhatra Dal leader | Dhaka-3 |
| Chan Miah | Central leader | Narayanganj-3 |
| Advocate Abdul Hamid Bhasani | General Secretary of district unit | Narayanganj-5 |
| Swapan Sarker | Leader of district unit | Rajbari-1 |
| Al Mamun | Madan upazila Krishak Dal convener | Netrokona-4 |
