Most of the political parties are keen to participate in the upcoming 12th Jatiya Sangsad (JS) election scheduled to be held of January 7, 2023, and they already have started their activities centring the polls amid enthusiasm and festivity.
Meanwhile, sources said, alongside the partners of the 14-party alliance led by the ruling Awami League, some other parties are also willing to participate in the election in alliance with the AL and even with its electoral symbol ‘Boat’.
In this regard, all the parties willing to participate in the JS polls already have started sale of nomination forms and other related activities.
The Election Commission (EC) official sources said more than 10 political parties and political alliances, including the ruling Awami League and main opposition in the JS Jatiya Party, confirmed their participation in the upcoming parliamentary elections formally.
According to sources, apart from the ruling Awami League and the main opposition in the JS Jatiya Party, many other major political parties like Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), Workers Party of Bangladesh, Jatiya Party (Manju) Trinamool BNP, Ganotantri Party, Samyabadi Dal, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, Bangladesh Nationalist Front (BNF), Progressive Islami Front 9an alliance with 15 Islamist parties, already have decided to participate in the JS polls.
In this regard, they already have started sale of their nomination forms to the aspirants of their own parties.
SouAL, rces said, Worker Party of Bangladesh started sale of nomination on Friday while JSD, Trinamool BNP, Jatiya Party (Manju), Ganotantri Party, Samyabadi Dal, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, BNF and Progressive Islami Front started their nomination form sale on Saturday.
Besides, main opposition in the parliament Jatiya Party started sale of party’s nomination forms on Sunday.
Meanwhile, alongside the partners of the AL led 14-party alliance, some other political parties, including Bikalpa Dhara led by former President of Bangladesh AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury informed the EC that they want to participate in the JS polls in alliance with the AL and also want to use the AL’s electoral symbol ‘Boat’.
However, the matter will be finalized at meetings between the AL and other parties concerned.
Awami League Office Secretary Barrister Biplab Barua on Sunday evening said the party sold a total of 2,286 nomination forms to its aspirants across the country in two days and earned Tk11.43 crore after party chief Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the sales on Saturday.
On the second day of nomination form sale, the AL sold on Sunday sold 1,212 forms to its aspirants. Of them, 1,180 forms were sold directly from the party office in the capital's Bangabandhu Avenue and 32 other forms were sold online, he said.
He also said earlier on the first day of nomination form sale, the party sold 1,074 forms on the first day. Of them, 1060 forms were sold directly from the party office and 14 were sold online.
The AL office secretary said on the second day Tk5.90 crore was collected directly and Tk16 lakh through online sales.
When the distribution started at 10:00am in the party office, there was such a crowd that Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader had to go back after a short visit to inspect the activities there.
Prime Minister Sheikh hasina kicked off the sale of AL nomination forms, by buying her own form as a candidate for the upcoming 12th National Parliament election, at the party's Bangabandhu Avenue central office in the capital yesterday.
Prospective candidates can purchase and submit these nomination papers online or directly from the office over the next four days (18-21 November), adhering to a daily schedule between 10am and 4pm. Aspiring candidates are required to pay Tk50,000 for the nomination form.
Earlier on November 15, the Chief Election Commissioner announced the polls schedule for the 12th JS polls.
Political parties will be able to submit nominations for candidacies till November 30.
The EC will scrutinise the nomination submissions from December 1-4. Appeals against the nominations can be submitted from December 6-15 and nominations need to be withdrawn by December 17.
Political parties will be able to distribute symbols within December 18 and the election campaign will officially kick off on December 18. The campaign duration will end at 8:00am on January 5.
