Dhaka: BNP on Monday formally started selling its nomination papers to those who want to contest the next general election with the party’s election symbol ‘Sheaf of Paddy’.

The sale nomination paper began at 10:45am with the purchase of two nomination papers for its Chairperson Khaleda Zia, reports the UNB.

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir purchased a nomination form for Khaleda to contest the polls from Feni-1 while BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan collected another form for her for Bogura-6 constituency.

BNP leader Mirza Abbas will buy another form for Khaleda Zia to contest the polls from Bogura-6 constituency.

Besides, Mirza  Fakhrul bought another nomination paper for himself for contesting the election from Tangail-1.

The aspirants can collect the party nomination paper from 10:00 to 4:00pm on Monday and Tuesday at Tk 5,000 each.

Each nomination hopeful can submit the nomination paper either on Wednesday 10:00am to 4:00pm or the same time on Thursday with Tk25,000 as non-refundable deposit.

Earlier in the day, BNP’s two alliances —Jatiya Oikyafront and 20-Praty— announced to participate in the upcoming 11th parliamentary elections as part of their movement to restore democracy, and demanded the election be deferred by one month.

Huge party leaders and activists started gathering in front of BNP office soon after the announcement of its joining the polls.

On Thursday evening, chief election commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda in a televised address to the nation announced the schedule for the next general election.

As per the schedule, the 11th parliamentary elections will be held on December 23 (Sunday) while the last date for submitting nomination papers is November 19, the date for scrutinising nomination papers is November 22 and the last date for the withdrawal of nomination papers is November 29.