A total of 2,741 candidates, including independent ones, from 30 registered parties submitted their nomination papers for the 12th national election amid festivities across the country on Thursday.

The nomination aspirants from the Awami League and the members of its 14-party alliance, the Jatiya Party, Trinamool BNP, Bangladesh Nationalist Movement (BNM), Bikalpadhara Bangladesh submitted their forms. Besides, the leaders of different parties, including the Awami League, submitted forms as independent candidates.   

On the other hand, the major opposition BNP and 38 like-minded parties and organisations, Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Andolon Bangladesh, and the Left Democratic Alliance boycotted the elections.

In a surprising incident, BNP Vice-Chairman Shahjahan Omar, who was released from jail on bail on Wednesday, submitted his nomination papers as an Awami League candidate for the Jhalakathi-1 constituency. He announced this at a press briefing after submitting the documents online in the afternoon.

The BNP later expelled him from all posts and also cancelled his primary membership. This was announced in a release signed by the party’s Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi in the evening.

Meanwhile, at least three journalists were beaten up allegedly by Awami League lawmaker Mustafizur Rahman and his supporters in Chattogram.

This happened when he went to the Chattogram deputy commissioner’s office to submit his papers.  

Election Commission (EC) Secretary Md Jahangir Alam said the list of candidates who would contest the polls would be disclosed on Friday (today).   

There were cheerful crowds outside the offices of the returning officers in different areas of the country as they chanted slogans in favour of their candidates. This happened amid the BNP’s dawn-to-dusk hartal, which saw stray incidents of violence.

When aspirants were submitting nomination papers at the Dhaka divisional commissioner's office at Segunbagicha, four crude bombs went off outside in the afternoon. No casualty was reported.  

Seven candidates submitted papers to contest the Gopalganj-3 seat currently held by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who also collected a form for the constituency. Parliament Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury submitted her form for Rangpur-6.      

The Awami League-nominated candidates submitted forms for 298 constituencies. On average, three independent candidates, including the ruling party leaders, submitted forms to contest from each constituency.

Sources said several former BNP lawmakers submitted papers either as independent candidates or with nominations of other opposition parties for different constituencies.   

The candidates nominated by the Jatiya Party submitted papers for over 280 constituencies. Party Chairman GM Quader will contest from Rangpur-3 and Dhaka-17.  

But the leaders of the party’s faction led by Chief Patron Raushan Ershad boycotted the polls after being deprived of party nominations in their expected constituencies. The party’s former secretary general Moshiur Rahman Ranga, who is a Raushan loyalist, submitted his paper for Rangpur-1.

A total of 82 BNM candidates submitted papers, including six former MPs. They are Shah Mohammad Abu Jafar in Faridpur-1, Abdur Rahman in Barguna-2, HM Golam Reza in Satkhira-4, Zafar Iqbal Siddiqui in Nilphamari-1, Mamunur Rashid in Jamalpur-4, and Dewan Shamsul in Sunamganj-4. The party’s Secretary General Shahjahan would contest from Chandpur-4 and musician Doly Shaontoni from Pabna-2.

Syed AK Ekramuzzaman, who was recently expelled from the BNP, submitted his papers as a BNM candidate for Brahmanbaria-1. He was the adviser to the BNP chairperson. AKM Motiur Rahman, former general secretary of Rajshahi district BNP, submitted his form as a BNM candidate for Rajshahi-3.

Trinamool BNP Chairman Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury said their candidates submitted papers for around 290 constituencies. He submitted nomination papers for Sylhet-6, and the party’s Secretary General Taimur Alam Khandaker for Narayanganj-1.

The Bikalpadhara Bangladesh-nominated candidates submitted papers for 18 constituencies, with Mahi B Chowdhury for Munshiganj-1 and Abdul Mannan for Lakshmipur-4.

The Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal candidates submitted papers for 90 constituencies. Its President Hasanul Haq Inu would contest from Kushtia-2 where the Awami League did not nominate anyone.

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader said they would decide on sharing seats with the alliance members on the last day of candidacy withdrawal.

Meanwhile, 21 candidates breached the electoral code of conduct in different districts as the EC served show-cause notices on many of them.