The Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Wednesday announced candidates for 10 more constituencies, sharing nine of the seats with its movement partners, for the upcoming Jatiya Sangsad elections scheduled for February 12 next year.

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the names of the 10 candidates at a press conference at the party’s chairperson’s office in the capital’s Gulshan area.

Of the 10 candidates, Liberal Democratic Party secretary general Redwan Ahmed, who joined the BNP on the day, will contest for Cumilla-7 using the BNP’s electoral symbol, the sheaf of paddy.

 Among other candidates, Jatiya Party (Kazi Zafar) chairman Mustafa Jamal Haider will contest for Pirojpur-1, National People’s Party chairman Fariduzzaman Farhad for Narail-2, Islami Oikya Jote leader Mufti Rashid Bin Wakkas for Jessore-5, and Gono Odhikar Parishad general secretary Mohammad Rashed Khan for Jhenaidah-4.

In Dhaka, Bobby Hajjaj of the Nationalist Democratic Movement, who is set to join the BNP, will contest for Dhaka-13, while Revolutionary Workers Party general secretary Saiful Haque will contest for Dhaka-12.

The other candidates include Nagorik Oikya president Mahmudur Rahman Manna for Bogura-2, Gono Odhikar Parishad president Nurul Haque Nur for Patuakhali-3, and Ganosamhati Andolan chief coordinator Zonayed Saki for Brahmanbaria-6.

Fakhrul clarified that those who formally joined the BNP will contest the election using the party’s symbol, the sheaf of paddy, and that the BNP will not field rival candidates in those constituencies.

He also said that the NPP might be allowed to use the sheaf of paddy symbol, while discussions on further decisions and seat-sharing arrangements would continue, and any decisions reached would be announced later.

Fakhrul said that the BNP would take organisational action against any party member who would contest in constituencies allocated to its allies.

Meanwhile, LDP secretary general Redwan’s announcement to join the BNP was formally welcomed by BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul.

He described Redwan’s return as ‘a son returning home’ and said that the move would further strengthen the party.

On Tuesday, the party announced that four seats would be given to Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh.

Earlier, on Monday, Bangladesh Jatiya Dal Chairman Syed Ahasanul Huda dissolved his party and joined the BNP.

He is set to contest the upcoming parliamentary election for the Kishoreganj-5 constituency using the BNP’s electoral symbol.

On December 9, Bangladesh Liberal Democratic Party chairman Shahadat Hossain Selim joined the BNP after dissolving his own party.

Following his joining, the BNP announced him as the party’s candidate for the Laxmipur-1 constituency.

Earlier, the BNP had announced its candidates for 272 constituencies out of 300 across the country in two phases.