BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman may contest the upcoming general election from the Dhaka-17 constituency, according to party sources.
If he does so, Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) Chairman Andalib Rahman Partha, who had been discussed as a potential alliance candidate for the seat, may instead be shifted to Bhola-1, the sources said.
Several BNP insiders said Tarique Rahman is interested in contesting from a Dhaka constituency, and discussions are ongoing among senior party leaders. Speculation intensified after Andalib Rahman Partha collected nomination papers for Bhola-1 and after Tarique Rahman and his daughter, Zaima Rahman, became registered voters in Dhaka-17.
At the same time, nomination papers have also been collected on Tarique Rahman’s behalf from Bogura-6, his home constituency. Party sources said that if he were to win from two seats, he could later retain one and vacate the other for a family member, in line with established electoral practice.
There had long been discussion about Tarique Rahman registering as a voter in Bogura. However, a BNP leader said he is now considering contesting from Dhaka-17 for strategic reasons, prompting his decision to register as a voter in Gulshan. For the same reason, his daughter was also registered as a voter in the constituency.
Tarique Rahman and Zaima Rahman applied online to become voters in Dhaka North City Corporation Ward 19, which falls under the Gulshan area. On Saturday afternoon, they went to the Election Commission headquarters in Agargaon, where they completed photographs, biometric data and signatures. Following the submission of documents, their names were included in the voter list after approval by the Election Commission.
Both applied using the address of “Firoza”, the Gulshan residence of former prime minister Khaleda Zia. Tarique Rahman had not been on the voter list for many years due to his long stay abroad since 2008. Being a registered voter is mandatory to contest the parliamentary election scheduled for 12 February.
The Dhaka-17 constituency comprises Gulshan, Banani, Dhaka Cantonment, Bhashantek, Kalachandpur, Shahjadpur, Korail and Mohakhali. It also includes Baridhara, a diplomatic enclave, giving the seat particular significance. Before the 2008 election, these areas were part of the Dhaka-5 constituency. In the 1991, 1996 and 2001 elections, BNP candidate Kamrul Islam contested from the seat, winning in 2001 and later serving as a state minister.
Despite its prominence, the BNP has not been able to nominate a senior party leader for the constituency in recent years. In past elections, candidates from various parties contested the seat without being registered voters there, earning the label of “guest candidates” and drawing criticism from local residents.
This time, local and party leaders are calling for the nomination of a long-tested party figure rather than an outsider. BNP sources said the party is seeking a candidate who is broadly acceptable and free from allegations, given the presence of the cantonment and diplomatic zones within the constituency. On that basis, Tarique Rahman is being viewed as a suitable candidate for Dhaka-17.
BNP has yet to formally announce its candidate for the seat. As an alliance partner, Andalib Rahman Partha had earlier been expected to contest from Dhaka-17 and had begun campaigning accordingly. He has since been offered the option of joining BNP and contesting from Bhola-1, though whether he will join the party has not yet been finalised.
Speaking on the matter, Andalib Rahman Partha said nomination papers had been collected on his behalf on Saturday for the Bhola-1 seat. Regarding Dhaka-17, he said discussions with the BNP were ongoing and would continue until the final date for submitting nomination papers on 29 December.
Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami candidate SM Khalikuzzaman and National Citizen Party Joint Convener Tajnuba Jabin have also collected nomination papers for Dhaka-17. With the nomination deadline approaching, leaders from various parties say further last-minute developments cannot be ruled out.
