Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami is planning to demand six seats from the BNP-led political alliance for vying in 11th general election in Sylhet Division.
Local Jamaat leaders said they had got the green signal from the party central committee to prepare for the election with the alliance members, but work as independent candidates.
They have categorized the Sylhet 5 (Kanaigaht and Zakiganj upazilas) and 6 (Bianibazar and Golapganj upazilas) constituencies as A grade.
They think they have stronghold in A. They also seek four more other seats to vie in the election in the division.
The sources said former MP and Jamaat Executive Member Moulana Farid Uddin Chowdhury collected the nomination form from Constituency 5 and its central leader Moulana Habibur Rahman collected it from Constituency 6.
Jamaat also seeks nomination from the Sunamganj Constituency 5 for Principal Abdus Salam Al-Madani, from Moulvibazar Constituency 1 for ex-Shibir leader Aminul Islam, from Sylhet 3 for former South Surma Upazila Jamaat Chairman Moulna Lokman Ahmed and from Sylhet 4 for the Jointapur Upazila Parishad Chairman Joynal Abedin.
Jamaat central leader and Sylhet city unit Ameer Advocate Ehshanul Mahbub Zubayer said they would work with the alliance to contest the poll.
“We want to vie in 6 of 19 seats in the division,” he said.
When asked about their symbol, Ehshanul said Jamaat’s policymaking body would decide it in the next meeting of the alliance.
Meanwhile, Aminul Islam collected a nomination paper from the Moulvibazar 1 constituency, said Jamaat sources.
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, an organization committed war crimes during the country's Liberation War in 1971, carry on organizational activities and prepare for the national election even if the registration of the party is cancelled.
According to sources, to bring back the image of the party and to maintain their own existence, the activists are silently preparing to become candidates for the 11th parliamentary election.
The party is also tactful about carrying out organizational activities. Even though the court has imposed a ban on the party participation in the polls, the high command of the party directed its Sylhet unit to prepare to participate in the next parliamentary election.
Many leaders of Sylhet, Moulvibazar, and Sunamganj Jamaat are working secretly in the election field after obtaining the green signal from the party’s high command.