AL finalises its 48 nominees for women‍‍‍‍`s reserved seats

The ruling Awami League today released a list of 48 nominees, including 34 fresh faces, for House seats reserved for women.

Seven of the other 14 nominees were members of the previous parliament sitting in reserved seats, and the remaining nominees were MPs from previous parliaments. 

Following a meeting of the party‍‍`s Parliamentary Nomination Board, AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader revealed the names of the nominees at a press conference held in the Gono Bhaban.

He said that on February 18, the AL would submit the list of nominees to the returning officer.

Kanon Ara Begum, a presidium member of the Gonotontri Party, a member of the 14-party alliance led by the AL, has been selected as one of the 48 nominees. She is one of the new arrivals.

Aroma Dutta, the Mahila Awami League‍‍`s general secretary, Shabnam Jahan, the president of Mahila AL‍‍`s Dhaka (city) north unit, Shahida Tareque Dipti, the former president of the Jubo Mahila League, Nazma Akhter, Aparajita Haque, Nahid Izhar Khan, and Farida Khanam, who held reserved seats in the previous parliament, have all been nominated this time around.

Up to eight central executive committee members have received party tickets; four of them have been selected for the first time.

According to party insiders, AL President Sheikh Hasina made a suggestion earlier on January 25 during a meeting with those seeking nominations that the party prefers new faces to replace the seats that have been set aside, and that previous lawmakers are unlikely to be chosen.

The prime minister Sheikh Hasina, said some professionals who have made contributions to the party and the offspring or spouses of veteran and loyal party officials would be given consideration for the reserved seats during a meeting with independent lawmakers on January 28.

The nominations, according to AL leaders and activists, show the party‍‍`s intention to marginalize the current lawmakers and give preference to newcomers.

Two of the ruling party‍‍`s lost candidates in the national election were included in the list as well.

The candidates who lost the elections for the Dhaka-4 and Gazipur-5 seats, respectively, are Sanjida Khanam and Meher Afroze Chumki have been chosen.

Former state minister for labor and employment Monnujan Sufian, who was not granted a party nomination in the last national polls, has been granted a party ticket for the reserved seat.

The AL secretary for foreign relations, Shammi Ahmed, whose candidacy for Barishal-4 was withdrawn because of her dual citizenship, has also been chosen. She is among the fresh faces.

For the fourth time in an a row, Munshiganj provided the party ticket for Fazilatunnesa Indira, the state minister for women‍‍`s and children‍‍`s affairs in the last cabinet.

Party‍‍`s Secretary for Agriculture and Cooperative Affairs Faridunnahar Laili was also nominated, however he was forced to withdraw from the Lakshmipur-4 seat because the AL shared the seat with its coalition, Jatiya Samajtantik Dal.

The 32 other new faces in the list are Rezia Islam (Panchagarh), Draupadi Debi Agarwal (Thakurgaon), Ashika Sultana (Nilphamari), Kohli Quddus Mukti (Natore), former vice-president of Jubo Mahila League; Zara Jabin Mahbub (Chapainawabganj), Runu Reza (Khulna), Farida Akhtar Banu (Bagerhat), Farzana Sumi (Barguna), Khaleda Bahar Beauty (Bhola), Nazneen Nahar Rashid (Patuakhali), President of Jatiya Press Club Farida Yasmin (Narsingdi), Ummi Farzana Sattar (Mymensingh), Nadia Binte Amin (Netrakona), Mahfuza Sultana Moli, (Joypurhat), Laila Parveen (Satkhira), Bedoura Ahmed Salam (Gopalganj), Parul Akhtar (Dhaka), Sabera Begum (Dhaka), Jharna Hasan (Faridpur), Anima Mukti Gomez (Dhaka), Sheikh Anar Koli Putul (Dhaka), Masuda Siddique Roji (Narsingdi), Hasina Bari Chowdhury (Dhaka), Ruma Chakraborty (Sylhet), Ashrafun Nesha (Laxmipur), Shamima Harun Lubna (Chattogram), Dilowa Yusuf (Chattogram), Gyorvati Tanchangya (Rangamati), Nachima Zaman Bobby (Rangpur), AL Education and Human Resource Affairs Secretary Shamshun Nahar Chapa (Tangail), AL Health Affairs Secretary Rokeya Sultana (Joypurhat), and executive member Parvin Zaman Kalpana (Jhenaidah).

March 14 is set aside for the election of the 50 reserved seats. 

Though they were unable to get a spot on the AL nomination list, at least 15 media figures purchased nomination forms.