The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has released its list of nominees for 36 reserved women’s seats in the Jatiya Sangsad. The announcement was made on Monday afternoon by Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed, the party’s senior joint secretary general and adviser to the prime minister. Although May 12 was initially set for voting in this indirect election, procedural reasons mean no voting will be required, making the nominated candidates virtually confirmed as members of parliament.

Among the BNP nominees are nine former MPs, including Begum Selima Rahman, Shirin Sultana, and Rehana Akter Ranu. The remaining 26 nominees are new faces such as Nipun Roy Chowdhury, Nawaz Halima Arly, and Sanjida Islam Tuli. The reserved women’s seats in parliament total 50, distributed at one seat for every six general members. Based on this ratio, the BNP alliance will receive 36 seats, the Jamaat alliance 13, and independents one.

The announcement marks a key step in finalizing women’s representation in the current parliament through party nominations rather than direct elections.