BNP announces 36 nominees for women’s reserved seats in parliament

The ruling alliance is set to get 36 of the 50 reserved seats, with the nominees likely to be elected unopposed

The ruling BNP-led alliance has announced its final list of 36 nominees for the women's reserved seats in parliament.

The names were unveiled by BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi at a media briefing at the party’s central office in Naya Paltan on Monday.

The nominees are Selima Rahman, Shirin Sultana, Rasheda Begum Hira, Rehana Akter Ranu, Newaz Halima Arli, Farida Yasmin, Bilkis Islam, Shakila Farzana, Helen Jerin Khan, Nilufar Chowdhury Moni, Nipun Roy Chowdhury, Zeba Amin Khan, Mahmuda Habiba, Sabira Sultana, Sunsila Jabrin, Sanjida Islam Tuli, Sultana Ahmed, Fahmida Haque, Anna Minj, Subarna Sikder, Shamim Ara Begum Swapna, Shammi Akter, Ferdousi Ahmed, Bithika Binte Hossain, Suraiya Jerin, Mansura Akter, Jahrat Adib Chowdhury, Mumtaz Alo, Fahima Nasrin, Arifa Sultana, Sanjida Yasmin, Nadia Pathan Papon, Shaukat Ara Akter, Madhabi Marma, Selina Sultana and Rezeka Sultana.

MPs vote to elect members of the women's reserved seats, though in practice voting is usually not needed as the candidates are elected unopposed.

Under the existing law, the 50 reserved seats in parliament are allocated among parties and alliances in proportion to the number of seats they win in the general election.

On that basis, the BNP alliance is set to receive 36 reserved seats, the Jamaat alliance 13, and the independent alliance one.

As parties and alliances typically nominate the same number of candidates as the seats allocated to them, the nominees are usually declared elected unopposed on the final day for withdrawal of candidacies.