AL snubs Shirina Lipi MP nomination as her husband is BNP leader

The Awami League has dropped Shirina Nahar Lipi from the final list of those nominated as MPs for reserved seats following criticism over her husband being a BNP leader.

Many activists of the ruling party protested against her inclusion in the initial list of 41 published three days ago.

She was not among those, including 43 of the Awami League, whose nominations were submitted to the Election Commission on Monday.

Lipi, a vice-president of Jubo Mohila League, had worked as president and general secretary of Bangladesh Chhatra League’s Shamsunnahar Hall unit when she had been a student of Dhaka University in the 1980s.

She had also served the Awami League as a member of its central committee.

Her father late MA Bari was close to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He was also elected MP from Khulna.

But photos posted on Facebook of posters of her husband Gazi Kamrul Islam Sajal say he is a member of the BNP’s Central Executive Committee and vice-president of Barishal North unit.

Kamrul, a lawyer by training, had also been on the team of lawyers for war criminal Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abdul Quader Molla, Jubo Mohila League Deputy Women Affairs Secretary Nasrin Sultana claimed in a Facebook post.

“Several leaders have complained about Shirina Nahar Lipi. Also, it has been proved that her husband is a BNP leader,” Awami League Office Secretary Abdus Sobhan Golap told bdnews24.com.

Mamata Hena Lovely from Tangail has replaced Lipi on the list of Awami League candidates for the seats reserved for women in parliament, according to Golap.