The Bangladesh Nationalist Party has alleged that a particular political party is attempting to influence voters by exploiting religious sentiments during electioneering ahead of the next national polls scheduled for February 12.

BNP also raised concerns over the collection and potential misuse of voters’ National Identity cards and personal information, and urged the Election Commission to take immediate and effective action.

The allegations were made on Monday at a press conference at the BNP’s election coordination office in the capital’s Gulshan area.

Speaking at the event,  BNP chairman’s adviser and the party’s election steering committee spokesperson, Mahdi Amin, said that such activities were undermining the credibility of the electoral process.

The BNP is contesting the election for 292 constituencies using its electoral symbol, the sheaf of paddy.

Of the candidates, 85 are former lawmakers, while 19 have previously served as ministers.

Mahdi said that 237 BNP candidates had completed at least a bachelor’s degree.

On women’s representation, the BNP has nominated 10 female candidates in the upcoming election, he said and described this as a reflection of the party’s commitment to women’s empowerment.

Mahdi expressed disappointment that some political parties had failed to nominate even a single woman candidate, despite women making up nearly half of the country’s population.

He said that several BNP candidates had directly suffered under authoritarian rule.

Three individuals who were previously victims of enforced disappearance, Salahuddin Ahmed, Anisur Rahman Talukder Khokon and Hummam Quader Chowdhury, are contesting the election as BNP candidates, he said.

In addition, Tahsina Rushdi Luna, the wife of missing former lawmaker Ilias Ali, and Sanzida Islam Tuli, a coordinator of Maayer Daak, a platform representing the families of victims of enforced disappearances, have also been nominated.