The BNP has boycotted the upcoming 12th National Parliamentary Elections, but a number its leaders of different levels, including some former lawmakers, have submitted nomination papers to contest the polls.

Only a small number of BNP leaders are contesting the polls. Most of them were either expelled from the party or inactive in politics, BNP Standing Committee Member Selima Rahman told the Daily Sun, adding that, “This will not affect our party or our movement at all.”

The BNP and its allies have been waging a movement demanding cancellation of the election schedule, resignation of the government, dissolution of the current parliament and holding the election under an election time non-party government.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi alleged that the government has lured the opposition leaders and put pressure on them to join the polls.

The BNP has already expelled 15 leaders who have submitted nomination papers to contest the polls. Besides, there are some other former BNP leaders, who voluntarily resigned or were expelled from the party earlier, are also participating in the general elections slated to be held on 7 January.

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Friday claimed that 15 central leaders and 30 former lawmakers of the BNP are set to participate in the upcoming national election.

Sources at the Election Commission said at least three former vice-chairmen, two advisers to the BNP chairperson, a number of its mid-level leaders and former members of parliament, and several influential field-level leaders who were expelled from the party are contesting the elections.

Some of them have submitted nomination papers as candidates of the Bangladesh Nationalist Movement (BNM), and the Trinamool BNP, while some others have submitted nomination papers as independent candidates. One influential leader of the BNP has even submitted the nomination paper as an Awami League candidate, said sources.

Four ex-BNP leaders have submitted nomination forms to contest elections in four constituencies in Bogura, the bastion of the opposition party as the party founder late Ziaur Rahman was born in the Gabtoli area of the district.

Among them, former BNP leader and lawmaker Ziaul Haque Molla has submitted nomination paper to contest polls in Bogura-4, ex-adviser to Bogura district BNP Mohammad Shokarana in Bogura-1, ex-president of Bogura Sadar Upazila unit BNP Sarkar Badal in Bogura-7, and former women’s affairs secretary of Bogura district unit BNP Beauty Begum will contest in Bogura-2 constituencies.

Among the heavyweight BNP leaders was its vice-chairman Shahjahan Omar, who submitted nomination paper to contest polls in Jhalkathi-1 constituency with the boat symbol as an Awami League candidate. After submitting the nomination paper, the BNP expelled him from the party on Thursday.

Shahjahan Omar was elected lawmaker from the seat in 1979, 1991, 1996 and 2001. He served as the state minister for law from 7 April 2003 to 29 October 2006 under the then BNP government.

The BNP’s former vice-chairman Shaukat Mahmood has submitted nomination paper to contest in Cumilla-5 constituency. He was recently expelled from the party due to his alleged involvement in anti-party activities.

Another former BNP vice chairman, Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury, who is currently the chairman of Trinamool BNP, has submitted nomination paper to contest in Sylhet-6 constituency. He resigned from the BNP in 2015.

BNP Chairperson’s Advisory Council member Syed AK Ekramuzzaman has submitted nomination from Brahmanbaria-1 constituency. He wanted to contest the elections as a BNP candidate, but after submitting the nomination paper, the opposition party expelled him on 28 November on charge of violating the party discipline.

Another former member of the BNP chairperson’s advisory council Taimur Alam Khandaker, who is currently the secretary general of the Trinamool BNP, has submitted nomination paper in Narayanganj-1 constituency to contest the polls. Taimur was recently expelled from the party for contesting the Narayanganj city corporation mayoral election, violating the party’s decision.  

Shah Mohammad Abu Jafar, a former member of the BNP’s Central Executive Committee, has submitted nomination paper to contest polls in Faridpur-1 constituency. Currently, he is the acting chairman of the BNM.

Former members of BNP National Executive Committee Shah Shahid Sarwar will contest in Mymensingh-2 and Khandkar Ahsan Habib in Tangail-5. Ex-vice-president of Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Forum Abdul Kadir Talukder has submitted nomination paper in Chandpur-4 constituency.

Former leader of Gazipur City unit BNP Jabbar Sarkar has submitted nomination paper to contest in Gazipur-1 constituency, former vice-president of Haripur upazila unit BNP Mojaffar Ahmed in Thakurgaon-2, former assistant office secretary of Sherpur District unit BNP Zaydur Rashid Shyamal in Sherpur-2, and former leader of Jamalpur District unit BNP Hossain Reza Babu in Jamalpur-2 as candidates of Trinamool BNP.

Besides, Abdul Aziz has submitted nomination paper for Panchagarh-2 constituency as a Trinamool BNP candidate.

As BNM candidates, former joint convener of Chapainawabganj district unit BNP Abdul Mateen has submitted nomination paper in Chapainawabganj-3, former BNP leader Mohammad Abdur Rahman in Barguna-2, Dewan Shasmul Abedin in Sunamganj-4, Mohammad Abdul Wahab in Jhenaidah-1, former leader of Sherpur district unit BNP Md Abdullah in Sherpur 1, and Motiur Rahman Montu in Rajshahi-3 constituencies.

As independent candidates, former BNP lawmaker Major (retd) Akhtaruzzaman has submitted nomination paper to contest polls in Kishoreganj-2, party leaders Delowar Hossain Khan Dulu in Mymensingh-4, Asma Shaheed in Faridpur-2, Siddiqul Alam Siddique in Nilphamari-4, Fakhrul Islam in Jhalkathi-2, and Khandkar Wahid Murad in Tangail-6 constituencies.

Nazimuddin Manju has submitted nomination paper to contest polls in Dhaka-20.

Meanwhile, Syed Muhammad Ibrahim, chairman of the BNP’s former ally Bangladesh Kalyan Party, has submitted nomination papers to contest the polls in Chattogram-5 and Cox Bazaar-1 constituencies.

BNP insiders said the party has given a sigh of relief as it feared that a large number of its leaders might participate in the elections defying the high command’s decision.

After getting the list of former and current leaders of the BNP who are participating in the elections, the party high command tried to stop them by talking to each of them individually. Apart from this, a team was also formed to maintain close contacts with the active leaders so that they do not participate in the polls, the sources added.