BNP has commenced the final selection process for its candidates for the reserved women’s seats in the 13th Parliament. The party’s nomination board began interviewing aspiring candidates at the Chairperson’s office in Gulshan at 3:40pm on Friday.
According to the party constitution, the nomination board is chaired by BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman and comprises members of the party’s Standing Committee.
BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi told journalists that over 400 candidates from Rajshahi, Khulna, Barisal, Rangpur, and Faridpur divisions participated in the interviews on the first day.
Interviews for candidates from Dhaka, Chattogram, Sylhet, Comilla, and Mymensingh divisions are scheduled to begin at 3pm on Saturday.
Highlighting the criteria for selection, Rizvi stated that the party would evaluate the contributions made by women leaders during movements over the past 15 to 16 years.
He noted that many had faced “horrific times,” including false cases, injuries from shotgun fire, and the vandalism of their homes and harassment of their children due to their political ideologies. In addition to these sacrifices, the board will consider candidates’ education and the knowledge required for law-making and parliamentary debates.
“I believe the party will properly evaluate them,” Rizvi added.
The Election Commission (EC) announced the election schedule last Wednesday, setting 21 April as the deadline for nomination submissions. Scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on 22 and 23 April, with appeals allowed on 26 April and settled by 28 April.
Symbols will be allocated on 30 April, followed by the election on 12 May.
Under the seat distribution arrangement, the BNP alliance will receive 36 seats, the Jamaat-e-Islami alliance 13 seats, and independents will receive one seat.
On Friday, candidates and their supporters began gathering in front of the Gulshan office from 1:30pm. Security personnel restricted entry to the office to candidates only, who were provided a designated seating area inside while awaiting their interviews.
