Bangladesh
Coalition Nomination will be coordinated with coalition: Information Minister
Own correspondent, Dhaka, 28 November 2023: Minister of Information and Broadcasting Hasan Mahmud said that even if nominations are given in all seats from Awami League, coordination will be done with the 14-party alliance. He told this to reporters at the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting meeting room at the secretariat on Monday (November 27) at noon.
The minister said, "In 2008, we conducted the election as a coalition. At that time, nominations were given in about 300 seats. Later, coordination was done within the grand alliance. Last time, nominations were given in almost all the seats and then coordination was done with the alliance. So far, nominations have been given in 298 seats. We have said this first. It was announced by our party. Even if the nomination is given, it will be coordinated with the alliance."
He also said, "Since it has not been decided how to do it in any place, nominations have been given in all the seats. Later, necessary measures will be taken in coordination with the alliance. We will conduct the election in a 14-party alliance. Besides, coordination with others will also be done."
Earlier on Sunday, Awami League announced the names of party candidates in 298 seats leaving two seats vacant in the 12th National Parliament election. The two vacant seats are Kushtia-2 and Narayanganj-5. Meanwhile, Awami League's joint general secretary AFM Bahauddin Nashim has received Awami League's nomination for Workers' Party president Rashed Khan Menon's seat, an important candidate of the 14-party alliance.
In this regard, the journalists want to know from the Information Minister whether the nomination of Awami League's central leader in Menon's seat is creating an embarrassing situation or not. In response, the information minister said, "Not necessarily. Almost all the seats have been nominated. Where will the leaders of the alliance elect and we will have an agreement and coordination with them, then necessary measures will be taken."
He said, "71-72 people of Awami League have been dropped, some candidates are dropped in every election. This time it was already said that those who have fallen behind in the race of popularity, or who are controversial for any reason will not be nominated. That is why many candidates have been dropped this time. It is normal to be left out. It is not a matter of who is a minister or a big leader. He who is not popular was not nominated. Sheikh Hasina is the chairman of the nomination board. Apart from this, for more than two years, the Prime Minister was being investigated by the party in various ways. The reports were collected and popular. And it has been considered in terms of the needs of the party."
