Online Desk :
A total of 29 out of 44 political parties registered with the Election Commission fielded their aspirants to join the 12th parliamentary elections slated from January 7. More than 2,750 aspirants including some 700 independent candidates submitted nomination papers in 300 parliamentary constituencies, according to the initial estimate of EC secretariat. But the number of candidates may differ slightly after the final estimate. The participating parties include Bangladesh Awami League, Jatiya Party, Jaker Party, Trinomul BNP, National People’s Party and Bangladesh Congress, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-Jasod, Bangladesh Supreme Party, Bangladesh Sanskritik Muktijote, Bangladesh Nationalist Front, Bangladesh Jatiyabadi Andolan, Tarikat Federation, Islami Oikyajote, Islamic Front Bangladesh, Bangladesh Islami Front, Krishak Sramik Janata League and Bangladesh Workers Party.
The remaining participating parties are Ganofront, Jatiya Party-JP (Manju), Bangladesh Kalyan Party, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh and Bangladesh Khelafat Andolan, Bangladesh Jatiya Party, Ganatantri Party, Ganaforum,Bangladesher Samyabadi Dal, Bangladesh National Awami Party (NAP), Bangladesh Muslim League-BML and Bangladesh Muslim League. The 15 political parties that are not running in the 12th parliamentary election are Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Dal-BNP, Liberal Democratic Party-LDP, Bangladesh Communist Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD, Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal-Basod, Bangladesh Jatiya Party-BJP, Jamiyate Ulamaye Islam Bangladesh, Bangladesh National Awami Party-Bangladesh NAP, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Bangladesh Biplabi Workers Party, Khelafat Majlish, Jatiyatabadi Ganatantrik Andolan, Insaniat Biplab Bangladesh and Bangladesh Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal.