A significant number of senior and top leaders from various political parties are skipping the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election and referendum, scheduled to be held on February 12, as they did not collect or submit nomination papers by the deadline on Monday, December 29.
According to Election Commission (EC) Secretary Akhtar Hossain, out of 59 registered political parties, 51 parties are contesting the polls. Among the remaining parties, the former ruling party Awami League's registration remains suspended, while the registrations of the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), Freedom Party, and Oikyabaddho Nagorik Andolon have been cancelled.
Based on information from the Election Commission and party sources, several key political parties and senior leaders have decided to boycott the election. Of them, two factions of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JASOD), a major partner of the former 14-party alliance, are not participating. Jatiya Party (JP-Raushan), led by Raushan Ershad and Kazi Mamunur Rashid, has also opted out.
Although several leaders of the National Democratic Front (NDF)-an alliance of factions of the Jatiya Party and other parties-have submitted nominations, prominent leaders of NDF have chosen not to contest. Among them, Jatiya Party Chairman Anwar Hossain Manju, JAPA Secretary General and NDF spokesperson ABM Ruhul Amin Howlader, and JAPA Senior Co-Chairman Kazi Firoz Rashid, all senior parliamentarians, have decided to boycott the February 12 JS election.
Ruhul Amin Howlader and Kazi Firoz Rashid cited the lack of a level playing field and the failure to withdraw pending cases as reasons for not submitting nomination papers. Anwar Hossain Manju withdrew from the race, citing physical illness, while collecting nomination papers for the Pirojpur-2 (Kaukhali, Bhandaria, Nesarabad) constituency.
Among others, the Workers Party of Bangladesh, led by Rashed Khan Menon, now in jail, is boycotting the election. Krishak Sramik Janata League, led by veteran politician and Liberation War organizer Bangabir Abdul Kader Siddiqui Bir Uttam, has announced its decision to boycott the election. Bangladesh Samyabadi Dal, led by Dilip Borua, is also boycotting the polls.
Although Advocate Selim Akbar of Ganoforum submitted his nomination paper, none of the party's top leaders-including Dr. Kamal Hossain, Executive President Advocate Subrata Chowdhury, and General Secretary Mofizul Islam-have filed nominations.
In the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), former President Mujahidul Islam Selim and former General Secretary Ruhin Hossain Prince are not contesting. However, current CPB President Kazi Sazzad Jahir Chandan and General Secretary Abdullah Kafi Ratan have submitted their nomination papers.
Meanwhile, JASOD (Rob) President A.S.M. Rob has formally announced his decision not to participate in both the parliamentary election and the proposed referendum, describing them as unconstitutional and one-sided.
Additionally, Jatiya Party (Raushan) leaders Raushan Ershad and Kazi Mamunur Rashid did not collect nomination papers, while Jatiya Party (Kazi Zafar) leader Mostafa Jamal Haider has announced that he will not contest the election either independently or as part of any alliance.
