Tarique on video call as BNP interviews nomination seekers on last day

BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman has joined the interview process for nomination seekers, hoping to contest in the 11th general election under the BNP banner, through video call for the fourth and final day.

BNP started interviewing its nomination seekers at party Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan office around 9am on Wednesday, said Sayrul Kabir Khan, member of the BNP chairperson’s media wing.

The process kicked off with nominations seekers for 24 constituencies in four districts for the Mymensingh division. 

Later in the day, nomination-seekers of Faridpur and Dhaka will be interviewed.

Who are conducting the interviews?

BNP Parliamentary Board members –Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Moudud Ahmed, Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Jamir Uddin Sircar, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Nazrul Islam Khan and Moin Khan – are conducting the interviews.

BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman – who currently resides in the United Kingdom as a political asylee – is also conducting interviews of nomination seekers via video conference.

EC has nothing to do with Tarique’s interviews

On November 19, the Election Commission said it has no issues regarding Tarique Rahman interviewing nomination-aspirants via videoconference.

“As Tarique Rahman joined the BNP nomination board from abroad, via videoconference, the electoral code of conduct is not applicable on him. So the Election Commission has nothing to do with it," said commission Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed.

Awami League, on November 18, filed a written complaint with the commission alleging that Tarique – a convict in several cases, including August 21 grenade attack case – does not have the legal right to participate in any electoral processes.