The strategy of fielding candidates by the members of the major opposition alliances led by the BNP saved them from having no candidate in three seats -- Bogura-7, Jamalpur-4 and Rangpur-5.

During the scrutiny on Sunday, nominations of all BNP candidates in six constituencies were rejected by the returning officers on different grounds. The seats are Bogura-7, Jamalpur-4, Rangpur-5, Manikganj- 2, Dhaka-1 and Shariatpur-1.

In Jamalpur-4, nomination paper of Rabiul Islam Tarafder of Gonoforum, a component of Jatiya Oikyafront, was accepted.

The nomination paper of BNP candidate Shamim Talukdar, a local upazila chairman, was rejected as the returning officer claimed that he didn't receive any copy of his resignation letter as upazila chairman.

Nomination papers of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and two of her party leaders were rejected in Bogura-7.

This constituency still has an opposition candidate who is from Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Rab), a component of the Oikyafront. The nomination paper of JSD nominee Reazul Morshed has been accepted.

The RO rejected nominations of BNP candidates Momotaj Hossain and Solaiman Alam Fakir for Rangpur-5. In this seat, nomination paper of Mofakkharul Islam, a candidate of Nagorik Oikya, another component of the Oikyafront, was accepted.

Three other constituencies, Dhaka-1, Manikganj-2 and Shariatpur-1, do not have any opposition candidate.

The BNP leaders, however, hope that party candidates' nominations will be accepted after appeals. The party has asked its nominees to file appeals with the Election Commission.

They said the RO rejected nomination papers of two BNP candidates in Manikganj-2 as the party secretary general's signature did not match. The BNP on Sunday informed the EC that it nominated the two candidates for the seat.

Nomination papers of three candidates in Dhaka-1, Bogura-7 and Jamalpur-4 were rejected on the grounds that they didn't resign from the post of upazila chairman.

But the three refuted the claims of the ROs concerned and said they submitted copies of their resignation letters to the ROs during scrutiny.

The nomination paper of BNP candidate Nasiruddin in Shariatpur-1 was cancelled on the grounds that he didn't pay telephone bills of Tk 3,815 from 1988-1991.

Denying the allegation, Nasiruddin on Sunday told journalists that he would file an appeal with the EC against RO's decision.