The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has announced candidates for 237 constituencies for the 13th Jatiya Sangsad election. Among them, Sanjida Islam Tulee, a key coordinator of the rights platform Mayer Dak (Mother’s Call), has been nominated to contest from Dhaka-14.
The announcement was made on Monday (Nov. 3) at a press conference at the BNP chairperson’s office in Gulshan by party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. Earlier, the party’s standing committee met under the leadership of Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, where a preliminary list of nominees was finalized.
Mirza Fakhrul said that after 16 years, Bangladesh is set to hold a national election in February 2026. He added that the BNP has already begun organizational work nationwide in preparation for the polls and, as part of that process, is announcing potential candidates for 237 seats. In constituencies where partners from the joint movement plan to field candidates, he said, the BNP has refrained from announcing nominees and will coordinate accordingly.
He also said BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia will contest the election from Dinajpur-3, Bogura-7, and Feni-1, while Tarique Rahman will run from Bogura-6.
Candidates were announced for 14 constituencies in Dhaka: Khandaker Abu Ashfaq (Dhaka-1), Amanullah Aman (Dhaka-2), Gayeshwar Chandra Roy (Dhaka-3), Tanvir Ahmed Robin (Dhaka-4), Nabiullah Nabi (Dhaka-5), Ishraq Hossain (Dhaka-6), Mirza Abbas Uddin Ahmed (Dhaka-8), M.A. Qayyum (Dhaka-11), Saiful Alam Nirab (Dhaka-12), Sanjida Islam Tulee (Dhaka-14), Shafiqul Islam Khan (Dhaka-15), Aminul Haque (Dhaka-16), Dr. Dewan Mohammad Salauddin (Dhaka-19), and Manjurul Karim Rony (Dhaka-20).
The BNP has yet to announce candidates for Dhaka-7, 9, 10, 13, 17, and 18.
Tulee’s nomination in Dhaka-14 is seen as one of the notable surprises in the capital. She rose to prominence after founding Mayer Dak following the enforced disappearance of her brother, BNP leader Sajedul Islam Suman. Her outspoken advocacy on enforced disappearances has drawn attention and praise both at home and abroad.
Senior BNP leaders present at the press conference included Standing Committee members Dr. Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Abdul Moyeen Khan, Maj. (retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Selima Rahman, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, and Dr. A.Z.M. Zahid Hossain.
Sanjida Tulee Named BNP Candidate for Dhaka-14
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