The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The nomination seekers of Awami League (AL) have started collecting nomination forms from party headquarters yesterday for the long-awaited parliamentary polls scheduled for December 18.

As the party formally started selling forms the adjacent area of the party central office at Bangabandhu Avenue became lively with slogans and partisan chants of the supporters from early morning.

Forms are available in six separate rooms for six divisions of the party office at Tk 7,500 each. The selling of nomination forms will continue till November 7. Some 1,011 forms were sold yesterday.

According to the election schedule announced by the Election Commission (EC) the last date for submission of nomination papers is November 13.

Tazimul Islam Shamim, nephew of Dr Wazed Miah, husband of former Prime Minister and AL chief Sheikh Hasina, collected nomination form on behalf of the party chief for Gopalganj-3 constituency.

AL Acting General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam yesterday said Sheikh Hasina would launch electoral campaign soon after her arrival in Dhaka.

He said AL would initially endorse candidates for 300 seats. After finalisation of seat sharing with its allies AL nominees would withdraw from the constituencies handed over to the alliance candidates.

Negotiation with Jatiya Party, Bikalpadhara and Liberal Democratic Party was underway for the formation of a grand alliance.

Ashraful hoped that the national election would be held on time saying, "People were in doubt about the elections. But we have been saying that the elections must be held. I firmly believe that it will be held on December 18."

He also reiterated the demand for the deferment of the Upazila polls and informed that the party leader would sit with the Election Commission (EC) to discuss the 'crucial issue'.

He also said it would be much too difficult for the political parties to participate in the Upazila polls on December 28, just 10 days after of the parliamentary polls.

Ashraful said aspiring candidates could collect form and drop it duly filled in the division-wise boxes in the central office.

"The aspirants who will submit forms will be given receipts. They have to submit a copy of the receipt to the presidents or general secretaries of their respective units," he added.

Awami League Central Working Committee (ALCEC), the policymaking body of the party, on Tuesday anonymously decided that party tickets would be awarded on the basis of the opinions of grassroots level leaders.

An extended meeting of the district Awami League will be held soon with the members, presidents, general secretaries of wards, unions, upazilas and municipalities of electoral constituencies.

The grassroots leaders will send the name of five prospective candidates to the CWC secretary by November 9. The central parliamentary board will finally nominate a candidate from the list for each constituency.