Women seat: BNP announces six candidates, 1st Ld

Advisory: Updates Jamaat, JP, IOJ share rest three seats Dhaka, Sept 24 (BDNEWS)- The ruling BNP, Jamaat and Amini-led Islami Oikya Jote (IOJ) and opposition Jatiya Party (Ershad) shared the remaining nine seats reserved for women in the Jatiya Sangsad. As per the new law, the nine reserved women seats allocated to Awami League remained vacant as the party did not nominate any candidate. BNP has announced its candidates to six seats Saturday night. Jamaat, IOJ and JP (Ershad) got one seat each in the elections slated for October 4. The BNP nominated candidates are Begum Rozina Islam, Khodeza Emdad Lata, Rasheda Begum Hira, Saimun Begum, Newaz Halima Arli and Fahima Hossain Jubilee, said a party release. Jamaat has nominated Begum Rokeya Ansar as its candidate while JP (Ershad) Nasrin Jahan Ratna and IOJ Naima Sultana, sources at the parties said. According to the election schedule announced by Election Commission (EC), the date for submission of nomination papers is Sunday while withdrawal September 29. In the first phase of the elections 36 women MPs were elected unopposed as there were no other contestant. Among them 30 were from BNP, three from Jamaat, two from Jatiya Party and one from BJP. BDNEWS/2201 hrs