A day after announcing Bangladesh Nationalist Party鈥檚 list of 237 potential candidates for the upcoming national election, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday urged party leaders who were not nominated to have faith that the party will give them due responsibility and respect.
In a post on his verified Facebook page, the veteran leader also said this election might be his last as a contestant.
Fakhrul, who has been nominated to contest from Thakurgaon-1 seat, expressed his sincere thanks to BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, acting chairman Tarique Rahman and all party leaders and activists for their longstanding support.
鈥楾his may be my last election. Those who did not get the nomination, please have faith 鈥� InshAllah, the party will give you due responsibility and respect,鈥� Fakhrul writes.
He recalled his long political journey and the sacrifices made by his family, saying, 鈥榃hen I decided to return to politics in 1987, my two daughters were very young then. They were studying in Dhaka. My wife was also very young. At first, she was completely shocked 鈥� she couldn鈥檛 realise what a life of terrible uncertainty she was stepping into.鈥�
Expressing gratitude to his wife Rahat Ara Begum, Fakhrul said she took their two daughters to school and to the doctor on her own.
鈥業 remember when my elder daughter had to undergo an operation 鈥� I spent the whole night in the car on the way to Dhaka, just so I could be by her side. I鈥檒l tell those stories some other day, InshAllah!鈥� he said.
Fakhrul said thousands of BNP leaders and activists across the country had similar stories of sacrifice.
He urged the people of the country to pray for him and all his party members. 鈥榃e will stand beside you and work for you, Inshallah. BNP has the ability to take the country forward with dignity.鈥�
On Monday evening, Fakhrul announced the list of 237 BNP candidates out of a total of 300 at a press conference at the party Chairperson鈥檚 Gulshan office, disappointing many potential aspirants who were not considered for nomination. Supporters of some aspirants in different parts of the country also took to the streets to express their anger.