Who is Waki, the NCP candidate running against Tarique at Bogura-6?

Abdullah-al-Waki is set to contest the upcoming 13th national election from Bogura-6 (Bogura Sadar) as the candidate of the National Citizen Party (NCP). His nomination has drawn significant discussion nationally and locally, as the constituency has long been considered a BNP stronghold.

The debate intensified after the BNP announced during its preliminary nomination process that acting chairperson Tarique Rahman would contest for the seat.

According to Election Commission records, Bogura-6 remained under BNP control in every national election up to 2008. Between 1991 and 2008, BNP Chairperson and former prime minister Khaleda Zia was elected from the constituency four times.

In 2014, Jatiya Party's Nurul Islam won uncontested.

In the 2018 election, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir won the seat, but after he declined to take oath, BNP's Golam Mohammad Siraj was elected in the by-election.

In 2024, district Awami League General Secretary Ragebul Ahsan Ripu won the seat.

This year, the NCP has nominated Abdullah-al-Waki for Bogura-6.

Speaking to The Business Standard, Waki—who last contested the 2008 election from the constituency under Bikalpa Dhara—said he applied after the NCP invited nominations.

"They considered me a suitable candidate. That is good news for me," he said.

Waki has not held any post at the national, district, or upazila level within the NCP, nor has he been prominently active in other political platforms. He said he is contesting from an anti-corruption standpoint.

"During the 1/11 period in 2007, I announced that I would run as an independent candidate. In 2008, I contested with a nomination from Bikalpa Dhara. Later, around 2014–15, I formed an organisation called Jonotar Shokti. I was quite active on Facebook, but the organisation did not receive political party registration," he said.

Explaining why he joined the NCP, he said, "The NCP led the people's uprising. They have honour, credibility, and acceptance, which is why I joined the party."

On why he left Bikalpa Dhara, Waki said the party joined an alliance, and after the death of its founder AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury, its political stance became unclear.

"It does not seem they will make a comeback. I did not feel comfortable with their position. But the NCP is clear about its 24 demands, its trust in the July Charter, and its 'yes' position in the referendum. That is why I joined the NCP," he said.

Waki returned to Bangladesh in March this year after a long break. He went to England in 2000 to pursue higher education, completed a degree in software engineering, and later began working there. During the BNP government's tenure—when Bangladesh was labelled the most corrupt country—he decided to return and contested against Khaleda Zia on an anti-corruption platform.

He added that while teaching at a private university in Dhaka, he survived a serious attack in 2012. He later left the country for medical treatment and remained abroad for several years.

According to Election Commission data, Waki received 629 votes in the 2008 election under the "Kula" symbol. Expressing optimism about his prospects this time, he said voters now think differently.

"If people can be motivated to take a stand against corruption, the voting equation in this constituency may change. People have a different level of trust in the NCP, so it is reasonable to hope for a good result," he said.

Waki's affidavit

When Waki contested the 2008 election, he submitted an affidavit stating that his home was in the Thanthania area of Sutrapur in Bogura and that he had completed his BSc degree in the United Kingdom.

He reported earning Tk8 lakh annually, with annual expenses of Tk5 lakh. At the time, he had Tk3 lakh in cash, £3,000 in foreign currency, and Tk2 lakh deposited in two private banks.

His movable assets included motor vehicles worth Tk7 lakh and electronic goods valued at Tk3 lakh.

The affidavit also stated that he jointly owned a house in the United Kingdom valued at Tk1.4 crore.

For election expenses, he said he intended to spend Tk5 lakh from his own income, while his father, uncle and sister voluntarily contributed Tk4 lakh to support his campaign.

This year, Jamaat-e-Islami has nominated Abidur Rahman Sohel, ameer of the party's Bogura city unit, as its candidate for Bogura-6. He has been actively campaigning through public outreach, courtyard meetings and party gatherings.

The Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal (Basad) has also nominated Dilruba Nuri as its candidate for the constituency.