Awami League yesterday interviewed 622 nomination seekers from 132 parliamen tary constituencies In Rajshahi. Khulna and Barisal divisions.

The 1 I member AL Parliamentary Board headed by party chief Sheikh Hasina took the interviews at the party's Bangabandhu Avenue and Dhanmondl offices tn two sea

SUM is

Of the total 697 aspirants Irorn the three divisions 75 did not appear before the Ixiard yesterday, according to sources in the party Some of the absentees are expected to .ippear tor interview today

Division wise break up ot those 622 who appeared yes trrday are Ra|shahl 319 (lor 72 scats). Khulna 185 (for 37 seats) and Barisal 1 18 (for 23 seats)

Interviews of 738 nomination seekers Irom Dhaka Chittagong and Sylhet division* will be held today at the party central office Interview of in tending candidates from Chittagong division will be held from 9 am to 1 pm. Sylhet division from 2 pm to 4 pm and Dhaka Division from 5 pm to 10 pm

The interview process be-Kn at the AL central office at am. an hour behind ached ule and continued uninter rupted till 12:45 pm when a tire broke out in an adjacent building

IMavy »moke engulfed Uw AL office including the meet-

Ing room on the third floor where interview was going on.

The interview venue was then shifted to the party's Dhanmondl office In the after noon

Before the change of the venue, interviews of about 150 Intending candidates from 35 constituencies of nine northern districts— Panchagar. Thakurgaon. Dlnaipur. Nllphamari. Lalmonfrhat. Rangour Kurtgram. Gaibandha and Jalpurhat were completed

The process began with the interview of nomination seekers from JS seat No 1 and JS seat No 2 (Panchagar-1 and 2).

Talking with some nomina tion seekers who appeared at the interview this correspondent came to know that In case of more than one aspirants from a single constituency. the board first asked them to decide themselves a consensus candidate’. In case of their failure to do so, the board asked them all to accept its selection' and to work unitedly for the party candt date.

There are 33 nomination seekers for two constituencies in Narail district. After their group-interview yesterday evening, they told newsmen present there that the board offered them to choose from among themselves two candidates for Narail-1 and 2 seats.

Emerging from the interview room. Shafiquzzaman Bachhu. one of the six applicants for Magura-2 constituency. said we all (six per sons) collected our application forms togethef. submitted the forms to party office together and today we committed before our leaders to remain united whoever from us finally got party's blessing.'

UNB adds: Party organising secretary Mohammad Nasim, joint secretary Abdul Jalil, publicity secretary Abdul Mannan and Anisul Huq Chowdhury were the lone nomination seekers from theirrespective constituencies.

In Khulna division. Solaiman Huq was the only nomination seeker from Chuadanga-1 constituency while Prof Rafiqu) Islam from Jessore-2 and Talukdar Abul Khaleq from Bagerhat-5.

In Barisal division. Sheikh Hasina was the single candidate from Bakerganj-1 while Prof Nazrul Islam was the single nomination seeker from Bhola-1