Gono Odhikar Parishad has approved its General Secretary, Md Rashed Khan, to join the BNP in order to contest the 13th national election.
In line with the party’s decision and as part of its electoral strategy, Rashed will contest the Jhenaidah-4 constituency using the BNP’s Sheaf of Paddy symbol.
The party’s President Nurul Haque Nur, confirmed the matter to Dhaka Tribune on Friday night.
Nur said: “We jointly carried out movements against the previous government to bring about the fall of fascism. With the aim of building a new Bangladesh after the fall of fascism, we will reform the state. That is why those of us who fought together will contest the election together and, in the future, form a national government together.”
He added: “Since the movement was led by the BNP with overall coordination from them, we want to remain together in the coming days as well.”
The Gono Odhikar Parishad president further said that under the current provisions of the RPO, even in alliances parties must contest elections with their own symbols. However, it is not realistically possible to win in all constituencies with every symbol. As a result, many partners of the joint movement are contesting the election with the BNP’s Sheaf of Paddy symbol by completing primary BNP membership as an electoral strategy.
“Since we have fought together and will also form the government together, and because over the past one and a half years since the uprising we have worked in the same direction through discussions and coordination, Rashed will contest the election in Jhenaidah-4 with the Sheaf of Paddy symbol as part of this strategy. We have approved his joining the BNP. He will resign from the post of general secretary, and we will appoint an acting general secretary soon,” Noor said.
