The National Democratic Front (NDF), a newly formed electoral alliance led by a faction of the Jatiya Party (JaPa), has decided not to take part in the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election, citing the absence of a level playing field.
Senior NDF leader and former lawmaker Syed Abu Hossain Babla confirmed the decision on Monday night, saying that although the alliance had made extensive preparations, it ultimately chose to withdraw from the polls.
Several leaders had collected nomination papers but did not submit them, while those who already filed nominations are set to withdraw, he said.
The NDF was formally launched on 8 December under the leadership of former minister Anisul Islam Mahmud, after breaking away from the GM Quader-led Jatiya Party.
The alliance comprises 18 political parties, including JaPa, Jatiya Party (JP) led by former minister Anwar Hossain Manju, Janata Party Bangladesh, Trinamool BNP, Bangladesh Nationalist Movement, Bangladesh Sanskritik Mukti Jote, and Gono Front. Of the alliance partners, six are registered with the Election Commission, while 12 are awaiting registration.
Earlier, the NDF had announced candidates in 119 constituencies, including at least 18 former members of parliament, seven of whom previously served as ministers or state ministers.
Former minister Anwar Hossain Manju, who had collected nomination papers for the Pirojpur-2 (Kawkhali–Bhandaria–Nesarabad) seat, also announced on Monday that he would not contest the election, citing health reasons.
Meanwhile, ABM Ruhul Amin Hawlader, secretary general of a JaPa faction and NDF spokesperson, and Kazi Firoz Rashid, senior co-chairman of the same faction, said they would not submit nomination papers, citing the lack of a level playing field and the failure to withdraw cases against political leaders.
Although NDF chief Anisul Islam Mahmud and executive chairman Mujibul Haque Chunnu had submitted nomination papers earlier, but alliance leaders said they would also withdraw from the race.
At a press conference held on 23 December in Dhaka’s Banani area, Mujibul Haque Chunnu had announced a preliminary list of 131 candidates for 119 seats, noting that multiple candidates had been nominated in several constituencies, subject to final review.
