JS reserved seats for women: AL finalises its 48 nominees

The ruling Awami League today unveiled the list of 48 nominees for seats reserved for women in the House with 34 new faces in the list.

Among the 14 other nominees, seven were lawmakers in the reserved seats in the last parliament while the rest were MPs in previous parliaments.

AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader announced the names of nominees at a press briefing in the Gono Bhaban after the party's Parliamentary Nomination Board held a meeting.

He said the AL will submit the list of nominees to the returning officer on February 18.

Of the 48 nominees, Kanon Ara Begum, presidium member of Gonotontri Party, a partner of the AL-led 14-party alliance, has been picked from Noakhali. She is among the fresh faces.

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

As many as eight members of the party's central executive committee have got party tickets and four of them have been selected for the first time.

Earlier in a meeting with the nomination seekers on January 25, AL President Sheikh Hasina hinted that the party wants fresh blood to fill the reserved seats and former lawmakers are unlikely to be picked, said party insiders.

Hasina, also the prime minister, during a meeting with independent lawmakers on January 28, said descendants or spouses of veteran and devoted party leaders and some professionals who have contributed to the party would be considered for the reserved seats.

AL leaders and activists believe that the nominations reflect the party's plan to prioritise fresh faces and exclude the sitting lawmakers.

In the list, the ruling party also accommodated two of its defeated candidates in the national election.

Sanjida Khanam and Meher Afroze Chumki, who failed to win in the polls for Dhaka-4 and Gazipur-5 constituencies respectively, have been picked.

Monnujan Sufian, former state minister for labour and employment, who was denied party nomination in the last national polls, has got party ticket for the reserved seat.

Shammi Ahmed, AL international affairs' secretary, whose candidature for Barishal-4 was cancelled due to dual citizenship, has also been selected. She is one of the new faces.

Fazilatunnesa Indira, state minister of women and children affairs of the last cabinet, got the party ticket from Munshiganj for fourth time in a row.

Party's Agriculture and Cooperative Affairs Secretary Faridunnahar Laili, who was initially nominated for Lakshmipur-4 constituency but was made to withdraw his candidature as the AL shared the seat with its alliance Jatiya Samajtantik Dal, was also nominated.

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).

The election to the 50 reserved seats is slated for March 14.

At least 15 media personalities bought nomination forms, but they failed to make their places in the AL nomination list.