281 AL, 696 BNP nominations filed

The AL candidates filed nomination papers in 264 and BNP candidates filed nomination papers in 295 of the 300 constituencies, said Election Commission secretary Helaluddin Ahmed.
He said that all the 39 registered parties fielded candidates while the Jamaat-e-Islami, whose registration was cancelled recently, filed nomination papers either as BNP or independent candidates.
Election Commission officials told New Age that no nomination paper was filed for 36 seats by the Awami League, in 5 seats by BNP and in 90 seats by the Jatiya Party.
BNP filed no nomination papers for Tangail 8, Maulvibazar 2, Cumilla 7, Lakshmipur 4 and Chattogram 14 constituencies.
AL did not filed nomination papers for Thakurgaon 3, Nilphamari 3, Lalmonirhat 3, Rangpur 1 and 3, Kurigram 2, Gaibandha 1, Bogura 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7, Rajshahi 2, Kushtia 2, Barishal 3 and 6, Pirojpur 2 and 3, Mymensingh 4 and 8, Kishoreganj 3, Munshiganj 1, Dhaka 4, 6 and 8, Narayanganj 5, Sunamganj 4, Sylhet 2, Maulvibazar 2, Brahmanbaria 2, Feni 1 and 3, Lakshmipur 2, Chattogram 2 and 5.
The officials said that in a good number of constituencies different political parties filed more than one nomination papers while the parties were yet to finalise their candidates and seat sharing with their allies.
They said that more than one candidate filed nomination papers for 35 seats from the Awami League and for 263 from BNP.
Chief election commissioner KM Nurul Huda expressed his satisfaction over the filing of nomination papers as all the 39 registered parties filed nomination papers.
Only 12 of the then 40 registered parties participated in the January 5, 2014 elections, as all the opposition parties boycotted the polls.
According to the commission secretariat, the Jatiya Party submitted 233 and Islami Andolan Bangladesh filed 299 nomination papers. 
Liberal Democratic Party filed 15, Jatiya Party-JP 17, Bangladesher Samyabadi Dal (ML) 3, Krishak Sramik Janata League 37, Communist Party of Bangladesh 77, Ganatantri Party 8, Bangladesh National Awami Party 14, Workers Party of Bangladesh 33, Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh 37, Hasanul Haq Inu led Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal 53, ASM Abdur Rob-led Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal 51, Zaker Party 108, Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal 49, Bangladesh Jatiya Party-BJP 11, Bangladesh Tariqat Federation 20, Bangladesh Khilafat Andolan 26, Bangladesh Muslim League 49, National Peoples Party 90, Jamiat Ulamae Islam Bangladesh 15, Gono Forum 61, Gana Front 16, Progressive Democratic Party 16, Bangladesh National Awami Party-Bangladesh NAP 4, Bangladesh Jatiya Party 13, Islamic Front Bangladesh 28, Bangladesh Kalyan Party 5, Islami Oikya Jote 32, Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis 12, Bangladesh Islami Front 21, Jatiya Ganatantrik Party 6, Revolutionary Workers Party of Bangladesh 30, Khilafat Majlis 12, Bangladesh Muslim League-BML 17, Bangladesh Sangskritik Muktijot 1 and Bangladesh Nationalist Front filed 71 nomination papers.
Commission officials said that in some constituencies, returning officers received some nomination papers as Awami League candidates although they filed no nomination certificate issued by the party’s authorised person.
They also said that in some constituencies, the returning officers also received nomination papers submitted by aspirants form non-registered parties in violation of the electoral laws.
According AL and BNP leaders, the issue of shearing seats with their allies and finalising a single candidate for each constituency would be settled before the December 9 deadline for the withdrawal of candidatures.
The commission secretary said that 3,065 nomination papers for the 300 electoral constituencies were submitted.
According to the commission secretariat, the number of nomination papers submitted was 1,107 in January 5, 2014 elections, 2,460 in December 2008 elections, 2,563 in October 2001 elections, 3,093 in June 1996 elections and 3,855 in 1991 elections.
The commission officials said that different political parties, including the Awami League and BNP, had filed more than one candidate in some constituencies in the 2008 general election.
Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader at a press conference at Dhanmandi 3 office of the party president on Wednesday said that they fielded more than one candidate in some constituencies for strategic reason.
If candidature of a candidate is cancelled for any reason, the other will take part in the election, he said.
About fielding more than one candidate for most of the seats, BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi told New Age on Thursday that in the previous elections also the party submitted nomination papers for more than one candidate in most of the constituencies.
This time the same course was followed so that if the returning officers cancelled nomination papers of any candidate, the other would be in the race, Rizvi said.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net