Rift again in alliance as IOJ demands by-polls ticket

The Islami Oikya Jote (IOJ) led by Fazlul Haq Amini declared the nomination of Ehtesham Sarwar for the seat that fell vacant with the death of BNP lawmaker Nurul Amin Talukder.

Secretaries general and senior leaders of BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, IOJ and Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) met yesterday but failed to arrive at a common nomination for the by-polls slated for August 21.

Held at the official residence of BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, the meeting left the issue with the alliance chief Khaleda Zia to decide on.

The BNP Parliamentary Board is due to sit today at the Prime Minister's Office to finalise its candidate for the polls. BNP insiders said 10 BNP candidates, including Khadiza Amin, wife of late Nurul Amin, are also seeking nomination.

BNP leader M Shamsul Islam, Jamaat Secretary General Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mojaheed, BJP Secretary General Kazi Firoz Rashid, IOJ (Saikhul Hadit splinter) Secretary General Abdur Rab Yusufi and IOJ (Amini) Secretary General Ezharul Islam Chowdhury, among others, attended yesterday's meeting.