BNP Turns to Aliza Zaman to Fill Reserved Seat Opened by Misty’s Forced Exit
The Pirojpur-based party leader is expected to enter parliament if her nomination papers clear scrutiny and no valid rival nomination emerges.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party has formally named Aliza Zaman as its candidate for the by-election to reserved women's seat 23 in the 13th Jatiya Sangsad, a position that fell vacant after Ferdousy Ahmed Misty resigned on 1 October. The resignation followed a direct instruction from Prime Minister and BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman amid allegations that individuals linked to Misty had taken part in an attack, vandalism and looting at the Radda Mother and Child Care Centre in Mirpur, Dhaka. The Parliament Secretariat later declared the seat vacant, prompting the Election Commission to schedule a by-election.
Aliza Zaman currently holds several organisational positions within the party. She is a member of the BNP central executive committee, serves as joint convener of the Pirojpur district unit, and acts as organising secretary for the Barishal division of the central Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal. Party officials said she had earlier sought a nomination for a general seat in Pirojpur ahead of the February 2026 national election but was not selected at that time. Her name appeared in a candidate list signed by Acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, confirming her as the nominee of the BNP and its alliance for the vacant reserved seat.
On 26 October, the last day for filing nomination papers, Aliza submitted her documents to Returning Officer Md Moin Uddin Khan at the Election Commission. According to party sources, as many as 68 women had applied for the ticket. The BNP interviewed the aspirants at the chairman's political office in Gulshan on 19 October before finalising the choice. After submitting her papers, Aliza publicly expressed gratitude to Tarique Rahman for selecting her.
Because reserved women's seats in parliament are distributed according to the proportional strength of parties in the directly elected house, the vacant seat is allocated exclusively to the BNP. No other political party is entitled to nominate a candidate for it. As a result, if Aliza's nomination papers pass scrutiny without disqualification, she is widely expected to be declared elected unopposed once the withdrawal period ends. This procedural feature of the reserved-seat system effectively turns the by-election into a formality in the absence of competing valid nominations from within the same party.
The Election Commission's schedule places scrutiny of nomination papers on 27 October. Appeals against scrutiny decisions may be filed on 28 October and are to be disposed of the following day. The deadline for withdrawal of candidature is 1 November, symbols are to be allotted on 2 November, and polling is fixed for 12 November. Should Aliza remain the sole valid candidate after these stages, the formal polling day will not be required.
The circumstances surrounding the seat's vacancy have drawn attention inside and outside the party. Misty's resignation was linked to an incident at a maternal and child health facility, an episode that raised questions about the conduct of associates of sitting lawmakers. By directing her to step down, the party leadership signalled an attempt to distance itself from the allegations. The subsequent open competition for the ticket—evidenced by the large number of applicants and the interview process—suggests an effort to manage internal expectations while filling the vacancy.
For Aliza, the nomination offers a route into parliament through a reserved seat rather than a general constituency. Observers note that such positions have historically served as entry points for women leaders with organisational experience at the district and divisional levels. Her selection also occurs against the broader backdrop of the BNP's current parliamentary majority and ongoing political manoeuvring ahead of other local contests, including the Thakurgaon-1 by-poll.
As the scrutiny process begins, attention will focus on whether any objections arise and how quickly the seat can be formally filled. For the ruling party, the episode underscores both the challenges of managing internal discipline and the routine mechanics of replenishing reserved seats in the present parliament.