‘AL eligible for 48 out of 50 reserved seats in JS’

Ruling Awami League has informed the Election Commission that they will contest the election for the 50 reserved seats for women in the parliament in alliance with 14 party partners and get the support of independents.

Awami League Organising Secretary Abu Sayeed Al Mahmud Swapan, after handing over the party letter to the EC, said that 62 independent MPs will support the Awami League nominees for the election.

He said, with the support, Awami League will be eligible for 48 of the total 50 reserved seats.

The reserved seats for women are allocated to political parties in proportion to their number of seats in the parliament. Accordingly, the Jatiyo Party is eligible for two seat.

In the 12th parliamentary elections, the AL won 223 seats, independents got 62 seats, and the Jatiya Party won 11 seats. Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, Bangladesh Workers Party, and Bangladesh Kalyan Party won one seat each.

Swapan said the ruling party will nominate candidates for the reserved seats differently this time. Usually, the party picks family members of leaders and activists of AL and its associate bodies, representatives of civil society.

Earlier, AL's General Secretary Obaidul Quader said the ruling party will prioritise "time-tested friends" for the posts.

The AL is expected to begin selling nomination forms following a meeting of the party's parliamentary nomination board.

The Election Commission is expected to announce the election schedule for women's reserved seats early next month.

AL had 43 lawmakers elected from the reserved seats for women in the last parliament.