Awami League tickets have turned out to be hotcakes as hectic lobbying is afoot for the ruling party blessing to become Members of Parliament against the seats kept aside for women.
A total of 822 candidates from across the country collected nomination papers from the Awami League president’s Dhanmondi office to avail the opportunity.
In proportion of the seats it won in the parliamentary polls, Awami League will get 36 out of 50 seats reserved for women to nominate its candidates this time.
According to the party sources, only a few members of the women MPs from reserve seats in the 9th parliament will get the chance to be chosen for the 10th parliament.
“The Awami League Parliamentary Board (ALPB) will not select anyone as its MP who has been involved in controversy,” said a highly placed source in the party.
In this connection, he said the ALPB might select at least one woman MP against reserved seats from each of the 19 greater districts.
The nomination seekers are busy running after the frontline leaders of the party to confirm their ticket as a woman MP.
Meanwhile, the ALPB has started preliminary work to choose the best among the nomination seekers for the women seat.
On January 19, AL chief Sheikh Hasina had an interview session with nomination seekers against the reserved women seats in Parliament at her official residence Ganobhaban.
Speaking on the occasion, AL general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam had said that it was very difficult for the AL Parliamentary Board (ALPB) to find out the 36 fittest women from 822 candidates.
Terming all the nomination seekers as experienced and have the quality to be MPs, he said the Board will pick the fittest ones rising above personal emotion and interest.
The Prime Minister and Awami League President, Sheikh Hasina, will select the candidates after consulting with the other members of the ALPB.
Talking to UNB, AL presidium member Nuh-Ul-Alam Lenin said that the party will announce their candidates shortly.
“I don’t think it will take much time to prepare the names of the candidates. All relevant information are now in the hand of the party chief,” he said.
AL presidium and ALPB member Kazi Zafarullah said that the ALPB will seat for selecting its candidates after the the Election Commission announces the election schedule for women MPs from reserved seats.
According to the Election Commission, the schedule might be announced by the second week of next month. The election might be take place in the first week of March.
“But, if the candidates get elected uncontested then the Election Commission might declare the result in end-February,” EC sources said.
Source: UNB Connect
