50 women file papers for reserved parliament seats

By Mizan Rahman

Dhaka

It is once again going to be an election of 50 women members unopposed as the same number filed nominations for seats reserved for them in the 10th parliament, as was seen in the unopposed election of 153 seats nearly three weeks before the January 5 polls.

A single contestant for each of the seats has already been nominated by parties based on their strength in the parliament.

The candidates submitted nomination papers at the election commission yesterday.

Based on their strengths in the House, ruling Awami League looks set to bag 39 seats, Workers Party 1, Jatiya Samajtantarik Dal (JaSaD) 1, Jatiya Party 6 and independent MPs 3. Of them, Workers Party and JaSaD are components of the Awami League.

Awami League general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam submitted nominations to the returning officer on behalf of 41 candidates of the party.

Opposition chief whip Tajul Islam Chowdhury submitted nominations on behalf of six Jatiya Party candidates.

The election commission said 50 nominations had been submitted for 50 seats. Yesterday was the last day for submitting nominations. Scrutiny of the nomination papers will begin tomorrow and March 18 is the last date for withdrawal of nominations.

However, each party in the legislature has announced their candidates as per their quota based on the seat strength in the parliament.

April 3 has been set as the date for polls for these 50 seats.

The elected MPs will be sworn in within three days of the elections.

The first session of the 10th parliament will continue until April 3. So, the 50 women candidates will get the opportunity to join the session.

The ruling Awami League already finalised 39 names, mostly new faces. It made a change at the last moment - nominating Amina Ahmed instead of Suchitra Tonchongya.

Tarana Halim, Fazilatunnesa Bappy, Fazilatunnesa Indira and Pinu Khan, who were reserved seat MPs during the Awami League’s previous term, have again been nominated.

Sanjida Khanam and Nilufer Zafarullah who were directly elected to previous parliament are also in the contention.

Others on the list include Selina Jahan Lita, Safura Begum Rumi, Hosne Ara Lutfa Daliya, Umme Kulsum Smriti, Begum Akhter Jahan, Selina Begum Swapna, Selina Akhter Banu, Laila Arjuman Banu, Shirin Naim Punam, Kamrul Laila Joly, Happy Boral, Rifat Amin, Nasima Ferdousi, Lutfunnessa, Momtaj Begum, Monowara Begum, Fatema Zohra Rani, Dilara Mahbub Asma, Fatematuz Zohra, Sabina Akter Tuhin, Rahima Akter, Hosne Ara Babli, Kamrun Nahar Chowdhury Lovely, Rokhsana Yasmin Chhuti, Navana Akter, Asmatul Kibria Keya Chowdhury, Shamsun Nahar Begum, Wasfia Aysha Khan, Jahanara Begum Surma, Sabiha Nahar Begum (Sabiha Musa), Firoza Begum Chinu and Amina Ahmed.

Lutfa Taher has been nominated from JaSaD while Hazera Khatun has been nominated from Workers Party.

Noor-e Hasna Lily Chowdhury and Mahzabin Morshed have again been nominated from Jatiya Party.

Four others nominated include Merina Rahman, Shahnara Begum, Raushan Ara Mannan and Khurshid Ara Haque.

Salma Islam and Nasrin Jahan Ratna, who were lawmakers in the reserved seats in the previous parliament, have been directly elected to the 10th parliament.

Kazi Rozi, Nurjahan Begum Mukta and Umme Razia Kajal have been nominated as independent candidates.