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

Party senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi came up with the announcement at a press conference at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office.

He said the sale of nomination paper will start at 10am at the party’s Nayapaltan central office on Monday.

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

Each nomination hopeful can submit the nomination paper either on Wednesday 10am to 4pm or the same time on Thursday with Tk 25,000 as non-refundable deposit.

Earlier in the day, BNP’s two alliances—Jatiya Oikyafront and 20-Praty—announced to participate in the upcoming 11^th 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.

They are staging showdown in favour of their respective party nomination aspirants.

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 11^th 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.