Record 16 independents file for Bogura-7, traditional seat of Khaleda Zia
Hardly ever before has there been so many independents for one seat.
The Bogura-7 seat, famed for its ties with the Zia family, is witnessing an unprecedented surge in aspirants, with a whopping 25 candidates, including 16 independents, vying for the 12th parliamentary election.
Rarely has there been such a high number of independent candidates contending for a single seat.
They are Md Amzad Hossain, Md Julfikar Ali, Md Asafuddoula Sarker, Md Sarker Badol, Md Ataur Rahman, Md Rezaul Karim (Bablu), Md Mostafizur Rahman (Milu), Md Nazrul Islam, Md Jahurul Islam, Md Faruk Ahmed, Md Aminul Islam, Md Sarwar Hossain, Nazrul Islam Milon, Md Mejbaul Alam, Md Manikur Rahman, and ATM Aminul Islam.
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The ruling Awami League has nominated Md Mostafa Alam as its candidate, while the Jatiya Party (Manju) has put forward Rakib Hasan and Md Abdul Majid for the parliamentary constituency.
Other contenders in the race include Md Najir Mahmud (Ratan) from the Zaker Party, Md Fazlul Haque from the National People's Party (NPP), Meherul Alam Mishu from the Bangladesh Congress, Md Roni from the Bangladesh Nationalist Movement (BNM), and Md Abdur Razzak from Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Jasad).
Historically, Bogura has been a stronghold for the BNP, and it continues to be a key battleground.
BNP founder and former Bangladesh president Ziaur Rahman was born in Gabtali upazila in Bogura.
Khaleda Zia, a former prime minister and wife of Zia, has consistently secured victories in the Bogura-7 seat for all parliamentary elections in a row since 1991 to 2008.
This constituency, encompassing Shajahanpur and Gabtali upazilas, has 454,030 voters.
Bogura-6, with 392,747 registered voters in Bogura Sadar upazila, also holds significance for the BNP, as the party chief Khaleda Zia was elected an MP the three times she participated in general elections from the constituency.
Although BNP acting chairperson Tarique Rahman is considered to be the next big BNP representative of Bogura-6 and -7, his return from exile in the UK remains uncertain.
Recent legal rulings, including a life sentence in the 21 August grenade attack case and a ten-year term in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case, have prevented his homecoming
The party has boycotted the January 7 national polls, saying any election under the current government will not be free and fair.
