80 minority candidates in fray in Bangladesh polls

DHAKA: With Bangladesh Awami League not participating this time, a total of 80 candidates from religious and ethnic minority communities are contesting Bangladesh’s national parliamentary election scheduled for Feb 12. Of these candidates, 12 are running as independents and 10 are women, according to officials of Election Commission and available data. A total of 22 political parties, including BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, have nominated 68 candidates from minority communities. Bangladesh Communist Party (CPB) has fielded the highest number of 17 minority candidates. Gobinda Chandra Pramanik, secretary general of Bangladesh National Hindu Mahajot, is contesting as an independent candidate from Gopalganj-3, comprising Kotalipara and Tungipara. His nomination, initially rejected, was reinstated following an appeal to Election Commission. At present, 60 political parties are registered with Election Commission. The Awami League’s registration remains suspended, with its activities being banned. Initially, 88 candidates from minority communities had submitted nomination papers. Of these, five nominations were rejected by Election Commission while three candidates withdrew. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party has nominated six candidates from minority communities in this election. Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has, for the first time, nominated a candidate from a minority community: Krishna Nandi. The National Citizen Party has nominated one minority community candidate.