Published : 30 Dec 2025, 05:00 AM
Updated : 21 Aug 2026, 02:56 PM
ABM Ruhul Amin Howlader, secretary general of one faction of the Jatiya Party, and senior co-chairman Kazi Firoz Rashid have withdrawn from the parliamentary elections, party leaders said.
Ruhul was scheduled to submit his nomination papers for the Patuakhali-1 constituency, comprising Dumki, Patuakhali Sadar and Mirzaganj Upazilas.
Firoz, meanwhile, was set to contest from the Dhaka-6 seat.
Speaking to bdnews24.com on Monday night, Firoz said: “I am not contesting in the election for personal reasons.”
When contacted, Ruhul’s personal assistant Maruf Hossain said the leader would not take part in the polls “for different reasons”.
Asked why the two leaders were stepping aside, a senior leader of the Anisul Islam Mahmud faction said the decision reflected concerns over the electoral environment.
“There is no environment for holding an election. A level playing field has not been ensured, and false cases have not been withdrawn. That is why they will not contest in this election,” the leader said.
The developments come against the backdrop of a widening split within the Jatiya Party. On Aug 9, several senior leaders, including Anisul Islam Mahmud and Ruhul Amin Howlader, broke away after holding a separate “Unity Conference”, taking advantage of a temporary court order against Chairman GM Quader.
Firoz and Abu Hossain Babla later joined the breakaway group after leaving the faction led by Raushan Ershad.
On Dec 8, the Anisul-led Jatiya Party joined hands with Anwar Hossain Manju’s Jatiya Party-JP to launch a 20-party alliance named the National Democratic Front (NDF), with Mahmud as its president.
On Dec 23, the alliance announced 131 candidates for 119 constituencies.
