14-Party Alliance candidates will contest in election with ‘Boat’ symbol

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD-Inu) president Hasanul Huq Inu has said that the Awami League led 14-party alliance has decided to contest in the 12th parliamentary elections with AL’s election symbol ‘Boat’.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the 14-party alliance meeting held at its coordinator and spokesperson Amir Hossain Amu’s Eskaton residence in the city Tuesday afternoon.

Inu later briefed reporters about the decision after holding a meeting with the 14-party alliance coordinator Amir Hossain Amu on Tuesday (December 5) afternoon.

He said there were 10 candidates from the 14-party alliance partners in the last parliament elections, and hoped that the number of candidates from the alliance members would be two times in this parliamentary election.

“The candidates nominated by the 14-party alliance will contest in the polls with election symbol ‘Boat’. So, if AL leaders take part in elections independently against the alliance nominated candidates, it may create a problem,” Inu said and expressed hope that the ruling party will consider the issue.

Earlier in the afternoon, Workers Party president Rashed Khan Menon, JSD-Inu president Hasanul Huq Inu and general secretary Shirin Akhter sat with Amir Hossain Amu at the latter’s residence at Eskaton in the capital.

Following the meeting, Inu said it was made clear through the meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina that the ‘alliance is existed’ and the alliance would take part in the election together.

“We will be able to resolve the seat-sharing issue sitting together. It is normal that there will have bargaining in any kind of concession. We will come out holding our hands together at the end of the day. The Awami League candidates will abandon the election in the constituencies where the alliance candidates will take part,” he said.

Inu further said they told the Awami League president [Sheikh Hasina] to take the party strategy into consideration regarding the Independent candidates. “There is enough time. We will sit and discuss the matter. Candidates will hold election with ‘Boat’ symbol.”

Inu said if someone withdraws the nomination paper, it doesn’t mean that he or she has violated the code of conduct.

Earlier on Monday evening, the Awami League led 14-party alliance held a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Ganabhaban. Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader, 14-Party Alliance coordinator Amir Hossain Amu, Jatiya Party-JP president Anwar Hossain Manju, Workers Party president Rashed Khan Menon and Fazle Hossain Badsha, JSD-Inu president Hasanul Huq Inu and general secretary Shirin Akhter, Samyabadi Dal general secretary Dilip Barua and Tariqat Federation’s chairman Najibul Bashar Maizbhandari were present.