NDF announces 132 candidates for Feb polls
Staff Reporter :
The National Democratic Front (NDF), an electoral alliance led by the Jatiya Party (Anisul) and the Jatiya Party (JP), has announced a total of 132 candidates for 122 constituencies in the upcoming national parliamentary elections, nominating more than one candidate in several seats.
The announcement was made at a press conference held at a hotel in Banani on Tuesday morning. Mujibul Haque Chunnu, executive chairman of the Jatiya Party (faction), formally read out the list of candidates at the event.
The NDF alliance was formed on December 9 under the leadership of the Jatiya Party (Anisul) and the Jatiya Party (JP). The platform brings together 18 political parties, including JaPa led by Anisul Islam Mahmud and JP led by Anwar Hossain Manju.
Other alliance partners include Bangladesh Jatiya Party, Janata Party Bangladesh, Trinamool BNP, Bangladesh Nationalist Movement, Bangladesh Cultural Liberation Alliance, Ganofront, Bangladesh Muslim League (Mohsin Rashid), National Islamic Grand Alliance, Bangladesh Swadhin Party, Bangladesh Swadhinata Party, Alliance Democratic Party, Bangladesh Ganotantrik Andolan, Democratic Party, Jatiya Sangskritik Jote, JSD (Shahjahan Siraj), United Democratic Party and Gano Andolan.
At the press conference, Jatiya Party (faction) Chairman and NDF chief Anisul Islam Mahmud voiced serious concerns over the country’s law and order situation.
He referred to recent incidents of attacks, vandalism and arson targeting Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, and said his own residence had also been set on fire. He claimed these incidents were not spontaneous but pre-planned.
Anisul Islam Mahmud also raised concerns about the electoral environment, stating that his party participated in elections even during the ousted Awami League government to “maintain democratic continuity.”
“We believe in democracy. Elections are the only means through which governments change,” he said, adding that he was prepared to contest the polls despite the challenges and urged the government to rein in mob violence.
NDF spokesperson and Jatiya Party (faction) Secretary General ABM Ruhul Amin Howlader, in his welcome address, echoed similar concerns, describing the country as insecure and gripped by mob terrorism.
He said the alliance would assess the situation in the coming days before taking a final decision on its electoral course.
Other leaders, including JP Chairman Anwar Hossain Manju, Jatiya Party (faction) Senior Co-Chairman Kazi Firoz Rashid and alliance chief coordinator Golam Sarwar Milon, also spoke, expressing alarm over the prevailing law and order situation and uncertainty surrounding the election environment.