JP starts selling nomination papers

Jatiya Party today started selling nomination papers among the aspirants seeking to contest at the upcoming 11th parliamentary polls.

The nomination paper sale started around 11:00am at Emmanuelle's Convention Centre in Dhaka’s Gulshan area, Faysal Chishti, presidium member of the party, told The Daily Star.

Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad was the first to buy the nomination paper, Chisthti said adding that party’s Senior Co-Chairperson Raushan Ershad, also the wife of Ershad, accompanied him.

Besides, general secretary of the party Ruhul Amin Howlader, presidium members Kazi Firoz Rashid, Moshiur Rahman Ranga and Faysal Chishti and Co-Chairman GM Quader among others also bought nomination papers at the cost of Tk 20,000 each.

The form selling will continue till November 14 and interview process of the candidates will start on the same day, he added.

Apart from Jatiya Party, Awami League, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) also started to sell their nomination paper.

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) started selling papers yesterday and will continue till tomorrow. JSD, a member of the ruling 14-party alliance, will contest polls with 'boat' symbol.

The ruling Awami League started selling the party’s nomination papers for the 11th parliamentary election on November 9.

When will the 11th JS polls be held?

The 11th parliamentary election will be held on December 23, Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda announced on November 8.

In a televised address to the nation, CEC Huda unveiled the election schedule and urged all political parties to join the election.

The announcement of the election schedule came despite the request of Jatiya Oikyafront, an alliance of the Gono Forum, BNP and several other opposition parties, not to announce the schedule before resolving the crisis over the election.

According to the schedule, the last date for filing nomination papers for candidacy is November 19. The returning officers will scrutinise the nomination papers on November 22 while the last date for withdrawing candidacy is November 29.

What are the outcomes of dialogues over the polls?

A day before the announcement of the election schedule, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina wrapped up week-long talks between the ruling Awami League-led 14-party combine and at least 80 parties under the banners of different alliances.

During the talks, Jatiya Oikyafront demanded dissolution of the parliament before the polls and formation of a neutral election-time government, among others.

But the talks ended on November 7 without any settlement of the contentious issues.

Moreover, the Oikyafront requested the Election Commission not to announce the election schedule before resolving the crisis over the election.

The AL and the Jatiya Party, however, in separate meetings with the EC on November 7, supported its plan to announce the schedule on November 8.

Both parties welcomed the EC announcement to hold the election on December 23.