News Flash
BOGURA, Jan 27, 2026 (BSS) – Ahead of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad polls, candidates from different political parties in Bogura-2 constituency have pledged to ensure public security and accelerate local development activities.
The constituency that encompasses Shibganj Upazila of the district having a total number of voters of 342,155 votes including 170,653 female and only five voters from the third gender.
In the upcoming election, seven candidates are contesting from the parliamentary seat. Among them, Mir Shahe Alam is contesting from BNP with ‘Daner Shish’ (Sheaf of Paddy) symbol, Jamaat-e-Islami’s Maulana Shahadatuzzaman with ‘Daripalla’ (weighing scale) symbol, Jatiya Party’s Shariful Islam Jinnah ‘Langol’ (Plough) symbol, Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s Jamal Uddin ‘Hatpakha’ (Hand Fan) symbol, Gano Odhikar Parishad’s Selim Sarker with Truck symbol, and independent candidates Mahmudur Rahman Manna, President of Nagorik Oikya with Kettle symbol and Rezaul Karim Talu with ‘Shiri’ (Staircase) symbol.
There are allegations that the area has been deprived of expected development for the past 17 years due to political reasons. BNP candidate Mir Shahe Alam has promised to remove this deprivation and to reorganize Shibganj through tourism and industrialization, if elected.
Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) Bogura correspondent Kalam Azad recently spoke to the BNP-nominated candidate Mir Shahe Alam here. Excerpts from the interview follow:
BSS: What are your election promises for the voters of your area?
Mir Shahe Alam: As Bogura is the birthplace of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman and the home of party chairman Tarique Rahman, the district has been deprived of overall development for the past 17 years.
Shibganj Upazila has also suffered from this deprivation. By the grace of Allah, if elected, I will prioritize issues that have been neglected over the last 17 years.
This includes development of roads, educational institutions, mosques, madrasas, and the historic Mahasthangarh, the ancient city located in this upazila. I will also work for developing tourism sector to attract foreign and local tourists in the area. The shrine of Hazrat Shah Sultan Mahmud Balkhi (RA), the greatest saint of the northern region, is located in Shibganj. Thousands of people visit Mahasthangarh daily centering on this shrine. We have plans for shrine-centric development so that visitors can perform their religious rituals properly.
Besides, the home of Shaheed Prafulla Chaki, the first martyr of the anti-British movement, is located in Bihar of Shibganj. There are plans to preserve his memory by building a memorial or undertaking related activities.
The Rangpur–Dinajpur Highway passes through our upazila. We will try to create employment opportunities by establishing large and small industries along this highway.
In addition, we will work to implement, to the highest extent, the nation-building plans announced by BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman—such as family cards, farmers’ cards, education, employment, health, environmental protection through river and canal excavation, tree plantation, sports development, and government decisions regarding salaries and allowances for ‘imams’ and ‘muezzins’, Insha’Allah.
BSS: What instructions have you given to your leaders and activists regarding compliance with the election code of conduct?
Mir Shahe Alam: We have already received directives from the central BNP Election Management Committee to follow the election code of conduct. In line with those instructions, we removed all colored festoons and posters immediately after the election schedule was announced.
We will continue our campaign strictly following the code of conduct. We will cooperate with the administration and seek its cooperation in conducting the election. We have decided to go each doorstep of voters, campaign among the people, and try to bring voters in favor of the ‘Dhaner Shish’ (Sheaf of Paddy) symbol.
BSS: What is your stance on the referendum regarding the July Charter?
Mir Shahe Alam: At present, people are not very much aware of the referendum issue during the national election. I notice enthusiasm among the general public mainly centering the national election symbol—the Sheaf of Paddy—and this election itself. The interim government and the administration are campaigning on the referendum issue. We will focus our efforts on party-based election campaigning in favor of the Sheaf of Paddy symbol.
BSS: What are your expectations regarding the upcoming national parliamentary election?
Mir Shahe Alam: After a long time, people will be able to exercise their voting rights through a free and fair election. Voters had been deprived of their voting rights for a long period. As a candidate, I hope and expect that they will be able to go to polling centers and cast their votes safely as desired, and that the interim government and local administration will provide all out support to this end.
