The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has finalised its list of candidates for the reserved women’s seats in the 13th Jatiya Sangsad.

The names were announced on Monday at the party’s central office in Nayapaltan by BNP Senior Joint Secretary General and Prime Minister’s Adviser Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

The nominees are: Selima Rahman, Shirin Sultana, Rasheda Begum Hira, Rehana Akter Ranu, Neawaz Halima Early, Mosammat Farida Yasmin, Bilkis Islam, Shakila Farzana, Helen Jerin Khan, Nilufar Chowdhury Moni, Nipun Roy Chowdhury, Zeba Amin Khan, Mahmuda Habiba, Sabira Sultana, Sansila Jebrin, Sanjida Islam Tuli, Sultana Ahmed, Fahmida Haque, Anna Minj, Subarna Shikder, Shamima Ara Begum Swapna, Shammi Akter, Ferdousi Ahmed, Bithika Binte Hossain, Suraiya Jerin, Mansura Akter, Johorat Adib Chowdhury, Momtaz Alam, Fahima Nasrin, Arifa Sultana, Sanjida Yasmin, Shaukat Ara Akter, Madhabi Marma, Selina Sultana, Rezeka Sultana and Nadia Pathan Papon.

The party is expected to submit it to the Election Commission (EC) on Monday (April 20), according to party officials.

Party sources said the list was prepared after extensive scrutiny, combining both experienced leaders and emerging figures from within the organisation.

Earlier, BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman led interviews with nomination seekers from 10 organisational divisions at the party’s Gulshan office over two days.

Around 850 female leaders participated in the interviews, after which the final list was prepared through verification and assessment. Senior Standing Committee members and the party’s nomination board were present during the interviews.

Meanwhile, the EC has collected nomination papers from 431 candidates over the past 12 days for the reserved women’s seats, with BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami and Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis among the participating parties.

According to Assistant Returning Officer and EC Deputy Secretary Md. Monir Hossain, only three candidates had submitted their nomination papers by Sunday evening — Sanzida Islam Tuli, Nilofar Chowdhury Moni and Mahbuba Rahman — all from BNP.

EC data shows BNP collected 417 nomination forms, Jamaat-e-Islami 13, and Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis one form for the reserved seats election process.

According to the Election Commission’s schedule, the deadline for submission of nomination papers for reserved women’s seats is April 21, while voting will be held on May 12.