Rajshahi-6: BNP seeks to reclaim, Jamaat aims to capture
From 1991 to 2008, the constituency remained under BNP control and was known as a BNP stronghold. After 2008, through three farcical elections, the Awami League unilaterally held the seat until 2024.
Calculations of victory and defeat, hope and doubt, surround the Rajshahi-6 (Charghat-Bagha) constituency, as the 13th National Parliamentary Election progresses.
From 1991 to 2008, the constituency remained under BNP control and was known as a BNP stronghold. After 2008, through three farcical elections, the Awami League unilaterally held the seat until 2024.
As the Awami League has been banned from contesting this election, four parties-including the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami-are competing. However, the main contest in this constituency is expected to be between the BNP and Jamaat.The BNP wants to reclaim the seat, while Jamaat-e-Islami aims to capture it.
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BNP-nominated candidates won the Charghat-Bagha seat by large margins in three consecutive parliamentary elections after returning to the democracy in 1991.
Untill 2024, out of seven parliamentary elections, only three saw direct competition between the BNP and the Awami League. The remaining elections were widely unacceptable.
In none of those elections did Jamaat-e-Islami participate as a contestant. Therefore, in the 13th parliamentary election, the BNP-Jamaat battle draws special attention which is a quite common picture across other parts of the country.
Four parties are fielding candidates in the constituency: Abu Sayed Chand (Sheaf of Paddy) representing the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), who is also the convener of the Rajshahi District BNP and a member of the central committee; Principal Nazmul Haque (Scales) representing Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and serving as the Rajshahi district secretary; Iqbal Hossain (Plough) from the Jatiya Party; and Abdus Salam Suruj (Hath pakha) from Islami Andolon Bangladesh.
The lanes, by-lanes, and tea stalls of Charghat-Bagha have become lively with campaign activities. The candidates are making various promises.
On the BNP side, all levels of party leaders and activists-including six heavyweight BNP leaders who were seeking party nominations-have united behind Abu Sayed Chand and are actively campaigning for him. They are going door to door to reach voters.
BNP supporters claimed that they are going to bag a victory with a huge margin over the rival candidate.
On the other hand, Jamaat candidate Nazmul Haque has bolstered his campaign activities. He is also going door to door, accompanied by party leaders and activists, visiting remote areas of the two upazilas from morning until midnight. He is seeking votes for the Scales symbol and making various promises to develop the constituency.
He said that through the ballot, the people will prove that they stand on the side of justice. They will make the right choice by denying the extortionists and the corrupt.
The Rajshahi-6 constituency comprises Charghat and Bagha upazilas. The total number of voters in this constituency is 304,275, of whom 151,687 are female voters and 152,588 are male voters.
