A total of 1,107 candidates submitted their nomination forms to the deadline yesterday to contest in the 300 seats for the 10th parliamentary elections.
The contestants were from at least 14 political parties, including the ruling Awami League, former military dictator HM Ershad-led Jatiya Party and the newly-formed Bangladesh Nationalist Front (BNF).
In 2008 parliamentary polls, there were 1,567 candidates from 38 political parties whereas as many as 1,450 contested in the controversial February 15 polls of 1996.
On Sunday and yesterday, supporters of disgruntled aspirants from Awami League demonstrated and also launched attacks on those who got the party ticket across the country.
Yesterday, blockade supporters hurled crude bombs at the houses and motorcade of three ministers while torched the house of an Awami League candidate in Chapainawabganj.
Most of the candidates went to the office of the returning officer with their supporters to file nomination papers.
Of the total aspirants, eight will be elected as lawmakers directly as they are lone candidates in their constituencies.
A total of 59 candidates with party tickets submitted their nomination papers to compete for 15 constituencies in Dhaka city yesterday.
Of them, Habibur Rahman Molla, Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin, Saber Hossain Chowdhury, Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, AKM Rahmatullah, Jahangir Kabir Nanok, Aslamul Haque, Shahara Khatun, Sanjida Khanom, Mizanur Rahman Dipu, Asaduzzaman Khan, Kamal Ahmed Majumder and Elias Uddin Molla belong to the ruling party.
Rashed Khan Menon of the Worker’s Party and HM Ershad submitted their nomination forms for Dhaka 8 and 17.
A maximum number of seven candidates filed their nomination papers for the constituency of Dhaka 16. Md Amir Hossain Molla, prosecution witness of the war crimes case against Abdul Quader Molla, will fight as an independent candidate in the constituency.
Former AL lawmaker Haji Md Selim submitted his nomination form for Dhaka 7 as an independent candidate as he failed to get the party ticket.
Former minister for post and telecommunications ministry Shahara Khatun went to the office of the returning officer to submit her nomination form at 4pm accompanied by a few supporters.
Abul Kalam Azad, chief coordinator and spokesman of the newly formed BNF, also submitted his nomination paper for Dhaka 17 where he will compete with HM Ershad.
“We bought 10 forms for our party for Dhaka city though I am the only person who submitted the form as of now,” he said after submitting the form at the 11th hour.
Kalam expressed hope to win against the Jatiya Party chairman.
A total of 95 nomination forms had been sold to aspirants in 15 Dhaka constituencies, said Returning Officer Shamsuddin Azad Chowdhury.
In Tangail, a total of 23 candidates, including former food minister Abdur Razzaque for Tangail 1 and textiles minister Abdul Latif Siddiki for Tangail 4, submitted their nomination forms.
In Satkhira, 16 candidates filed nomination forms for four seats. Former health minister AFM Ruhal Haq will compete with JP candidate SM Salauddin and BNF candidate Yaqub Ali for Satkhira 3.
A total of 14 candidates submitted their nomination papers to the returning officer to contest the 10th parliamentary elections for Khulna’s six constituencies.
Of them, six came up with AL tickets, five with JP nominations and three as independent candidates.
Incumbent State Minister for Labour Monnujan Sufian and JP Khulna district unit President Shafiqul Islam Modhu and independent candidates Ashraful Islam and Shahida Begum submitted their nomination papers for Khulna 3 constituency.
Seventeen contestants filed their nomination forms to compete in five constituencies of Gazipur.
Simin Hossain Rimi from AL, Miyan Md Anower Hossain from JP, advocate Sarwar-E-Kaynat from the BNF and advocate Afsar Uddin Ahmed Khan as independent candidate are competing for Gazipur 4. In addition, Meher Afroz Chumki of AL and Azam Khan of JP submitted their forms for Gazipur 5.
In Chandpur, a total of 10 candidates submitted their nomination forms for the five constituencies in the district. Of them, five from AL, three from JP and two as independent candidates will contest the polls.
In Faridpur 4, incumbent lawmaker Nilufar Zafarullah and her husband former lawmaker Kazi Zafarullah, and independent candidate Mujibur Rahman Chowdury alias Nixon Chowdhury are competing for the parliamentary seat.