The BNP has nominated 25 leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami, a key component of the 20-party alliance, to contest the upcoming parliamentary polls.

It has handed out nomination letters, signed by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, to Jamaat men. The letters attached to their nomination papers were submitted to the offices of returning officers and assistant returning officers, said insiders in both parties.

“We have received 25 nomination letters from the BNP,” Matiur Rahman Akand, organising secretary of Jamaat, told The Daily Star yesterday.

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Of the 25 Jamaat aspirants, Shamim Sayedee, second son of convicted war criminal Delawar Hossain Sayedee, submitted nomination papers for Pirojpur-1.

On October 29, the Election Commission scrapped the registration of Jamaat in line with a High Court verdict that declared Jamaat's registration illegal.

The EC's move made it clear that the party would not be able to contest the upcoming national election.

Therefore, Jamaat men were initially preparing to run as independents. If they participate in the polls as independents, they may not get a common symbol, said party sources.

According to the electoral law, the Jamaat leaders vying for the parliamentary seats on BNP tickets and with its symbol -- “sheaf of paddy”-- will be considered BNP candidates.

Meanwhile, Nazibur Rahman, son of former Jamaat ameer and executed war criminal Motiur Rahman Nizami, filed nomination papers for Pabna-1 as an independent.

Photo: Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

The EC has set December 2 for scrutinising nomination papers and December 9 as the last date for withdrawing them.

The government of independent Bangladesh in its first decision had banned five communal outfits, including Jamaat, which not only opposed the nation's independence but also actively helped Pakistan occupation forces commit genocide and other war crimes.

The parties were allowed to engage in politics during the rule of late president Ziaur Rahman after the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975.

According to Jamaat, those who submitted nomination papers as BNP candidates are: Abdul Hakim for Thakurgaon-2, Mohammad Hanif for Dinajpur-1, Mohammad Anwarul Islam for Dinajpur-6, Moniruzzaman Montu for Nilphamary-2, Mohammad Azizul Islam for Nilphamary-3, Prof Golam Rabbani for Rangpur-5, Majedur Rahman Sarker for Gaibandha-1, Rafiqul Islam Khan for Sirajganj-4, Iqbal Hossain for Pabna-5, Prof Motiur Rahman for Jhenidah-3, former MP Abu Sayed Mohammad Sahadat Hossain for Jashore-2, Abdul Wadud for Bagerhat-3, Prof Abdul Alim for Bagerhat-4, former MP Prof Mia Golam Parwar for Khulna-5, Abul Kalam Azad for Khulna-6, Abdul Khaleque for Satkhira-2, Robiul Bashar for Satkhira-3, Gazi Nazrul Islam for Satkhira-4, Shamim Sayedee for Pirojpur-1, Shafiqur Rahman for Dhaka-15, former MP Farid Uddin Chowdhury for Sylhet-5, Habibur Rahman for Sylhet-6, former MP Syed Abdullah Md Taher for Cumilla-11, former MP ANM Shamsul Islam for Chattogram-15, and former MP Hamidur Rahman Azad for Cox's Bazar-2.

Jamaat also kept back-up candidates in most of the seats where its leaders filed nomination papers. The back-up candidates submitted nomination papers as independents.

For example, Jamaat leader Selim Uddin submitted nomination papers for Dhaka-15 as an independent.