BNP has begun its second day of interviewing nomination-aspirants to determine the shortlist of candidates who will be contesting in the 11th general election.
The second day began with interviews of Barisal division nomination-seekers at BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's Gulshan office, around 10am on Monday.
Nomination-aspirants from the Khulna division will be interviewed later in the day.
Like on Sunday, BNP Acting Chairperson Tarique Rahman has been interacting with the party leaders and nomination aspirants via videoconference.
Other than Tarique, BNP Parliamentary Board members – including Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Moudud Ahmed, Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Jamir Uddin Sircar, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Nazrul Islam Khan and Moin Khan – are conducting the interviews.
In the absence of both the chairperson and the acting chairperson – both of them convicted in the Zia Orphanage and Zia Charitable Trust graft cases, with Khaleda serving jail time and Tarique a political asylee in the UK – BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam is signing the nomination forms.
Controversy over Tarique's participation
The BNP acting chairperson's participation in the interviews has raised questions from the ruling party. Awami League filed a complaint with the Election Commission regarding the issue on Sunday.
Awami League alleged that Tarique – a fugitive convict – does not have the legal right to participate in any electoral process—according to a High Court order.
However, BNP responded by saying that Tarique can take part in all electoral activities until the Supreme Court reaches a decision about his participation.
EC's response
The Election Commission, after receiving the complaint from Awami League, said it will reach a decision after reviewing all the relevant laws.
When asked if Tarique could have participated in a videoconference if he was in the country, Election Commissioner Md Rafiqul Islam said on Sunday: "A convict is either in jail or on the run. No one in jail can participate in such activities. If he was out on bail, this would not have been an issue.
"However, this is a completely different case," he said. "We can only reach a decision after reviewing the relevant laws."