The ruling Awami League (AL) has successfully sold a total of 3,019 nomination forms in the last three days, generating an impressive Tk15.09 crore in revenue since the inauguration of sales by party chief Sheikh Hasina on Saturday.
On Monday (20 November), notable figures, including former captain of the Bangladesh cricket team and current MP Mashrafe Bin Mortaza for the Narail-2 seat, former vice-chancellor of Jahangirnagar University, Professor Anwar Hossain for Netrokona-5, former Public Service Commission (PSC) chairman Mohammad Sadiq for Sunamganj-4, and renowned actor Hero Rubel Hossain, collected nomination forms from the ruling Awami League, expressing their intention to participate in the upcoming national parliament elections.
The party recorded the sale of 733 forms on Monday alone, contributing Tk3.66 crore to its fund. Awami League Office Secretary Barrister Biplab Barua confirmed this development during a press briefing yesterday evening.
Notably, central executive committee member Professor Mohammad Ali Arafat has already submitted the nomination form for the Dhaka-17 seat.
Barrister Biplab Barua further highlighted that on the second day, the direct collection of nomination forms brought in Tk5.90 crore, with an additional Tk16 lakh earned through online sales.
Dhaka division witnessed a higher demand for nomination forms compared to other divisions in the country. As of 3 pm on Monday, 624 party nomination forms were sold in Dhaka, 571 in Chattogram, 150 in Sylhet, 268 in Mymensingh, 230 in Barishal, 273 in Rangpur, 364 in Rajshahi, and 374 in Khulna.
Former captain of the Bangladesh cricket team and current MP Mashrafe Bin Mortaza has bought the Awami League nomination paper to contest for the Narail-2 seat in the upcoming national parliament elections.
Currently, Mashrafe serves as a Member of Parliament of Narail-2 district.
Narail District Awami League President Subas Chandra Bose collected the nomination form on his behalf from the Bangabandhu Avenue Awami League office in the capital on Monday (20 November).
Awami League leader Shafiqul Islam Shafiq, who is in charge of selling nomination forms for Khulna division, confirmed the matter to this correspondent.
On Monday at 11 AM, Anwar Hossain visited the central office of the Awami League on Bangabandhu Avenue in the capital to procure a nomination form. Mohammad Sadiq on the other hand, obtained a nomination form through a representative. Shamsul Kabir, overseeing the sale of nomination forms for seats in the Sylhet division, reported that former vice-chancellor Anwar Hossain collected a nomination form for the Netrokona-5 constituency (Purba Dhalia) in person.
Former PSC Chairman Mohammad Sadiq secured a form for the Sunamganj-4 constituency (Bishwambarpur and Sunamganj Sadar) by sending a representative for the collection process.
Anwar Hossain collected the form for the constituency currently represented by his younger brother, Waresat Hossain, who is the sitting Member of Parliament. Both Anwar and Waresat are siblings of the late Colonel Taher.
Anwar Hossain, previously the president of the Dhaka University Teachers' Association, served as the vice-chancellor of Jahangirnagar University during the academic years 2012-14.
Former PSC Chairman Mohammad Sadiq obtained the form for a constituency currently held by Pir Fazlur Rahman from the Jatiya Party, who is the current Member of Parliament.
Earlier on Wednesday (15 November), the Election Commission announced the polls schedule for the 12th Jatiya Sangsad election that is to be held on 7 January.
Political parties will be able to submit nominations for candidacies till 30 November.
The Election Commission will scrutinise the nomination submissions from 1-4 December. Appeals against the nominations can be submitted from 6-15 December and nominations need to be withdrawn by 17 December.
Political parties will be able to distribute symbols within 18 December and the election campaign will officially kick off on 18 December. The campaign duration will end at 8:00am on 5 January.
Ends/Jakir
