Amidst hartal enforced by the BNP-led opposition alliance, the Awami League activists thronged the party office in the capital on Sunday with enthusiasm as the ruling party started selling nomination papers for the next general election.
The aspirants with their supporters chanting slogans started gathering there in the morning when AL General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam formally announced the beginning of the electioneering process at the party’s central office at Bangabandhu Avenue in a festive mood.
The party sold 678 nomination forms on the first day on Sunday and received 20 of them – a move to select candidates for the upcoming 10th general election.
Mrinal Kanti Das, member secretary of the nomination paper sale committee, said the party earned Tk169.5m on the first day from the sale of nomination papers, each costing Tk25,000.
As of on Sunday, Dhaka division stands first with the highest sale of 215 nomination forms. As part of the party tradition, Syed Ashraf bought a form for Awami League President Sheikh Hasina for Gopalganj 3 constituency. Some top leaders of the party also bought nomination forms.
They are Syed Ashraful Islam, Deputy Leader of the Parliament Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Home Minister Dr Mahiuddin Khan Alamgir, Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni, Water Resources Minister Ramesh Chandra Sen, former information minister Abul Kalam Azad, State Minister for Housing Abdul Mannan, State Minister for Youth and Sports Ahad Ali Sarker and lawmaker Asaduzzaman Noor.
The sale of nomination papers kicked off amid slogans by party activists who cheered the name of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, AL Chief and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and respective candidates.
Ashraf, after the inauguration of the sale, said people would cast their votes without facing any obstacle, and if anybody tried to create anarchy, that would not be good for democracy.
The top leader of the ruling party also expected that like AL all other political parties would start selling nomination forms for the next general election.
AL presidium member Matia Chowdhury, advocate Sahara Khatun, joint general secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif, organising secretary Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, AFM Bahauddin Nasim, BM Mozammel Huq, labour affairs secretary Habibur Rahman Siraj and Dhaka City AL general secretary Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya were present on the occasion.
