RAJSHAHI, Dec 31: Amid a festive atmosphere, candidates in six parliamentary constituencies of Rajshahi submitted their nomination papers for the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary election, accompanied by party workers and supporters.
The submissions took place in phases from Monday morning until afternoon at the offices of the Returning Officer and Assistant Returning Officers.
According to the district returning officer, a total of 56 nomination forms were collected across the six constituencies. While several nominations were submitted at sub-district offices, the district-level returning officer's office saw the filing of papers by heavyweight political candidates. By the end of the final day, 38 candidates had submitted their nomination papers in Rajshahi.
In Rajshahi-2 (Sadar), nomination papers were filed by BNP nominee Mizanur Rahman Minu, Jamaat nominee Dr. Mohammad Jahangir, AB Party candidate Mohammad Saeed Noman, and Bangladesh Labour Party's Mezboul Islam (Mezba). In Rajshahi-3 (Poba-Mohanpur), BNP nominee Advocate Shafiqul Haq Milan and Jamaat nominee Professor Abul Kalam Azad submitted their papers. For Rajshahi-1 (Godagari-Tanore), Jamaat nominee Professor Mujibur Rahman, independent Advocate Sultanul Islam Tarek, and AB Party candidate Dr. Muhammad Abdur Rahman Muhsini filed nominations. In Rajshahi-4, BNP nominee DM Ziaur Rahman submitted his papers along with other aspirants.
After submitting his papers, Mizanur Rahman Minu told reporters, "BNP will achieve an overwhelming victory nationwide. BNP is the party of Shaheed Zia, and our beloved leader Tarique Rahman has organised the party effectively over the past 17 years. In 1996 and 2001, BNP won almost all seats in Rajshahi division. This time too, the Dhaner Sheesh symbol will secure a sweeping victory nationwide. Voting is peaceful and the administration is working smoothly; we hope this continues until the end." AB Party nominee Mohammad Saeed Noman said, "If the environment remains normal and voters can reach polling stations, InshaAllah, we will achieve good results."
Jamaat nominee Professor Mujibur Rahman highlighted the need for a level playing field, saying, "Although the election is approaching, fairness has not yet been fully ensured for all parties. We have requested the chief adviser of the interim government, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, to address this, but some areas still lack a level playing field." BNP nominee Advocate Shafiqul Haq Milan emphasized development priorities for Poba-Mohanpur, including fair pricing for farmers, women's empowerment, improved education, and infrastructure development.
