The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has announced an electoral agreement with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh, under which it will leave four parliamentary constituencies for the party in the upcoming national election.

The decision was disclosed at a press conference held at the BNP chairperson’s office in Gulshan around 12:15pm on Tuesday. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir made the announcement in the presence of senior leaders of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh.

Mirza Fakhrul said Jamiat candidates would contest in Sylhet-5, Nilphamari-1, Narayanganj-4 and Brahmanbaria-2 constituencies. The candidates are Jamiat president Maulana Ubaidullah Faruq in Sylhet-5, Secretary General Maulana Manjurul Afendi in Nilphamari-1, Mufti Monir Hossain Qasemi in Narayanganj-4, and Maulana Junaid Al Habib in Brahmanbaria-2.

He said BNP would not field any candidates in these four constituencies as part of the agreement, stressing that the party’s decision would have to be followed strictly.

Warning against indiscipline, the BNP secretary general said organisational action would be taken against anyone who contests as a rebel candidate in these seats.

Mirza Fakhrul also said the Jamiat candidates would contest the election using their party symbol, the date palm tree.