Raushan Ershad withdrew from the election race on November 29, alleging non-cooperation of the party's chairman-general secretary. However, several leaders of the Raushan camp remained in the electoral field.
Some are independent and others are said to be candidates from the Bangladesh Nationalist Movement (BNM). However, Raushan Ershad, who has been the leader of the opposition in two consecutive parliaments, has not been a candidate. Her son Rahgir Al Mahi Ershad alias Saad is also reportedly not running for MP.
Jatiya Sangsad Opposition Chief Whip Moshiur Rahman Ranga has filed nomination as an independent candidate from Rangpur-1 (Gangachra) constituency. He won the 2001, 2014 and 2018 elections from that seat. He was dismissed from all party posts in 2022 due to differences with the party chairman. Since then, this leader of Transport Owners Association was active with Raushan Ershad. Although the nomination papers were submitted in Rangpur-1 constituency, due to deviations in the documents, the nomination papers were declared valid after a few hours of suspension.
Pro-Raushan leader Mymensingh District Jatiya Party former acting president KR Islam has become an independent candidate in Mymensingh-6 constituency. In October 2022, he was expelled from the party by GM Quader. GM Quader agreed to give 3 nominations to Raushan Ershad and her followers. KR Islam was also in that list. KR Islam refused to accept JP's nomination, sticking to Raushan Ershad's decision.
On the other hand, four-time Member of Parliament Rustam Ali Faraji is contesting as an independent from Pirojpur-3 (Mathbaria) seat. This popular politician was elected Member of Parliament in 1996, 2001, 2014 and 2018. JP did not nominate him due to his closeness with Raushan Ershad.
The most candidates appear to be from the Bangladesh Nationalist Movement (BNM). Former MP Zafar Iqbal Siddiqui has submitted his nomination papers in Nilphamari-1 seat in ‘anchor’ symbol. Jatiya Party's former presidium member Zafar Iqbal Siddiqui was elected MP from Nilphamari-1 constituency in 2008. In 2014, he withdrew from the elections, and in 2018, his nomination papers were cancelled.
Party presidium member Qari Habibullah Belali has become BNM's candidate for Mymensingh-10 constituency. Engineer Mamunur Rashid, who won the 2014 election, has become a candidate from Jamalpur-4 constituency from BNM without getting the nomination of Jatiya Party. Sources said pro-Raushan leader Shahjamal Rana has fielded his candidature from BNM in Brahmanbaria-3 and Manjurul Haque Sachcha Gaibandha-3.
Former state minister Gholam Sawar Milon, former presidium member Professor Delwar Hossain Khan, SMM Alam, former ambassador Gholam Masih, former presidium member Kazi Mamunur Rashid, former student leader and joint secretary general Professor Iqbal Hossain Raju, and many others who were close to Hussain Muhammad Ershad, are reportedly not participating in the election.
Professor Iqbal Hossain Raju told Barta24.com, I heard that some people are holding elections. All of them are popular leaders; some have been elected MPs up to 4 times. GM Quader has not nominated such a leader either. It is not like we are leaving politics just because we are not going to elections. You will see something new very soon.
The Jatiya Party, which came to the election through various dramas, gave party nominations in 294 seats. 6 candidates ultimately did not file nomination papers despite getting party tickets. 304 candidates of Jatiya Party have submitted their nomination papers against 288 seats in the 12th JS elections. The number of seats where multiple candidates have been given in the same seat is 18, and 4 leaders including the chairman have submitted nominations for two seats each, according to sources in the JP office.