The Crime Desk: Symbols will be allocated among the final candidates in the 12th National Parliament Election today, on Monday. With the allocation of symbols, the battle of the candidates is starting. Official campaigning for the candidates will begin immediately after receiving the symbol. Every alley, street, and highway in the city and district will be full of festivities today.
Yesterday was the last day to withdraw the candidatures of various parties and independent candidates participating in the elections. Chittagong from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 9 candidates in Chittagong, two returning officers, and a divisional commissioner. Tofail Islam and Deputy Commissioner Abul Basar went to Mohammad Fakhruzzaman’s office and withdrew their candidacy.
On the last day of the withdrawal of nomination papers of candidates, nine candidates in six parliamentary constituencies of Chittagong have withdrawn their nomination papers. After the withdrawal, the total number of candidates in the 16 constituencies of Chittagong is 120. Chittagong’s two returning officers will allocate symbols among 120 candidates of the Awami League, various parties, and independents in 16 constituencies of Chittagong this morning.
Returning officer and divisional commissioner of six seats in Chittagong. Tofail Islam
The returning officer of six constituencies told the media that four candidates in these six constituencies have withdrawn their nomination papers. A candidate has withdrawn his candidacy from the High Court. The High Court has declared the candidacy of independent candidate Mohammad Shahjahan Chowdhury of Chittagong-5 Hathazari constituency valid. Awami League candidate Abdus Salam in Hathazari Constituency Chittagong-5 and Bangladesh Welfare Party candidate Major General (retd) Syed Muhammad Ibrahim, Awami League candidate in Chittagong-8 Boalkhali-Chandgaon Constituency Noman Al Mahmud, and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal) in Chittagong-11 Constituency JASD candidate Jasimuddin Babul withdrew their nomination papers.
The lawyer of the independent candidate of Chittagong-5 Constituency, Mohammad Shahjahan Chowdhury, has brought a copy of the order declaring his candidature valid in the High Court. He has been included in the final candidate list as a valid candidate for this seat. The divisional commissioner said that symbols will be allocated among the candidates on Monday.
Meanwhile, the returning officer of the remaining 10 constituencies, Deputy Commissioner Abul Basar Mohammad Fakhruzzaman, told the media that five candidates have withdrawn their nomination papers on the last day of withdrawal of nomination papers among the returning officers of 10 parliamentary constituencies. After the withdrawal, the number of final candidates for these 10 parliamentary seats is 74.
He said Dilip Barua (Bangladesh Samyabadi Dal) in Chittagong-1 Mirsarai constituency, Mazharul Haque Shah Chowdhury (Bikalpdhara Bangladesh), and MA Matin (Bangladesh Islami Front) in Chittagong-2 (Fatikchari) constituency are independent candidates in Chittagong-16 constituency (Banshkhali). Mohammad Emranul Haque and Kamal Mostafa Chowdhury (Jasad) have withdrawn their nomination papers.
So far, the candidates and supporters have conducted pre-election preparations through discussions and courtyard meetings, but today, after receiving the symbols, they can conduct campaigns by using banners, leaflets, handbills, and miking. Since the announcement of the schedule, the candidates of various parties, including the Workers Party, Jasad and Jatiya Party, Trinamool BNP, Kalyan Party, Tarikat Federation, and Supreme Party, have been waiting for today’s day. Not only the candidates but also their supporters were waiting. That wait ends today.
Returning officer and divisional commissioner in six seats. Tofail Islam will allocate symbols. 6 constituencies are: Chittagong-4 Sitakunda, Chittagong-5 Hathajari, Chittagong-8 Boalkhali-Chandgaon, Chittagong-9 Kotwali, Chittagong-10 Doublemooring-Khulshi, and Chittagong-11 Bandar Patenga.
District Commissioner Abul Basar Mohammad Fakhruzzaman Chittagong-1 Mirsarai, Chittagong-2 Fatikchari, Chittagong-3 Sandwip, Chittagong-6 Raujan, Chittagong-7 Rangunia, Chittagong-12 Patia, Chittagong-13 Anwara-Karnaphuli, Chittagong-14 Chandanish, Chittagong-Returning Officer of 15 Satkania-Lohagara, Chittagong-16 Banshkhali constituencies. He will allocate symbols among the candidates in these 10 constituencies.
Symbol allocation is important in parliamentary elections, especially for independent candidates. There are 25 symbols for independent candidates in parliamentary elections. As the symbols of the party candidates are fixed, the allocation of symbols in their case can be called a formality. They have pre-made black-and-white posters, banners, and leaflets of certain sizes for the campaign so that they can go to the voters as soon as the symbols are allotted today. Besides, the members of the Awami League and the 14-party alliance are holding elections with the boat symbol.
The final number of candidates in 16 seats
Chittagong-1 Mirsarai: The number of final candidates in this seat is currently seven.
They are the Awami League’s Mahbub Ur Rahman Ruhel, an independent candidate, and former Mirsarai Upazila Chairman Mohammad Ghiyas Uddin of the Bangladesh Nationalist Front (BNF). Yusuf, Bangladesh Muslim League (BML) Sheikh Zulfikar Bulbul Chowdhury, Bangladesh Supreme Party’s Nurul Karim Abshar, Islamic Front Bangladesh candidate Abdul Mannan, and Jatiya Party’s Mohammad Emdad Hossain Chowdhury.
Chittagong-2 Phatikchari: The number of final candidates in this seat is 8. They are the current Member of Parliament and Bangladesh Tariqat Federation Chairman Syed Najibul Bashar Maizbhandari, Awami League candidate Khadijatul Anwar Soni, Bangladesh Supreme Party Chairman Syed Saifuddin Ahmad Maizbhandari, and independent candidate former upazila chairman and Awami League leader Hossain Muhammad.
