IAB skips press confce: Jamaat led alliance finalises seat sharing
Staff Reporter :
The Jamaat-e-Islami–led 11-party alliance has announced the distribution of candidates for the upcoming national election across 250 constituencies.
Under the arrangement, Jamaat-e-Islami will contest 179 seats, the National Citizen Party (NCP) will get 30 seats, while 50 seats have been kept open for Islami Andolan Bangladesh.
The announcement was made at a press conference held at the Institution of Diploma Engineers in Dhaka on Thursday.
Speaking at the event, Jamaat Nayeb-e-Ameer Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher said, “Previous elections were about changing power. This election is about safeguarding our existence.”
According to the allocation, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis will contest 20 seats, Khelafat Majlis 10, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) 7, AB Party 3, while Nizam-e-Islam Party and Bangladesh Development Party will each receive 2 seats.
However, the seat allocation for Bangladesh Khelafat Andolon and Jatiya Ganatantrik
Party remains undecided.
Although the press conference was scheduled for 8:00pm, it began around 8:40pm.
Islami Andolan Bangladesh did not send any representative, highlighting ongoing uncertainty regarding its participation in the alliance. Sheikh Fazlul Karim Maruf, Central Publicity and Dawah Secretary of Islami Andolon Bangladesh, confirmed their absence.
Addressing the media, Jamaat Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman said the alliance aims to move away from authoritarian politics imposed on the people.
“We want an inclusive political system,” he said. Calling on voters, particularly the youth, he urged them to participate actively in the election and monitor the process, adding that the public would not accept any manipulated election.
Regarding Islami Andolon Bangladesh, Shafiqur Rahman said discussions were still ongoing and expressed hope that the party would eventually join the alliance.
Alliance sources indicated that Islami Andolan had demanded at least 70 seats, and efforts are continuing to keep them within the coalition.
NCP Convenor Nahid Islam described the alliance as a historic unity of reform-minded forces committed to freedom and equality.
He said none of the NCP candidates would contest independently and that all candidates would run under the banner of the 11-party alliance to ensure victory of the July Charter through a referendum.
LDP President Col (retd) Oli Ahmed said the people had already experienced the rule of both the Awami League and the BNP and now deserved a government based on justice and free from corruption. He emphasized that the alliance seeks to serve the people, not dominate them.
He also urged the Election Commission to act impartially, saying it should avoid injustice and favoritism and work in the best interest of the country.