The Bogura-6 (Sadar) parliamentary seat has been vacated by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. Having won two constituencies in the recent elections, he relinquished one seat the day before taking oath, triggering a by-election in Bogura-6. Political speculation is rife over who will secure the party’s nomination for this highly significant constituency.
Historically, Bogura-6 has been a BNP stronghold. From 1991 to 2008, BNP candidates won every general election here by substantial margins. Notably, in the 1996, 2001, and 2008 elections, the late BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia emerged victorious under the party’s “sheaf of paddy” symbol. On 12 February 2026, Tarique Rahman himself won the seat with a commanding majority.
The Election Commission has yet to announce the official schedule for the by-election. Meanwhile, discussions over potential BNP candidates are ongoing. Some suggest that Tarique Rahman’s wife, Zubaida Rahman, or his daughter, Zaima Rahman, could be nominated, while other party insiders point to experienced local leaders.
The current list of potential candidates includes:
| Name | Position / Background | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Zubaida Rahman | Wife of Tarique Rahman | Suggested for continuity of family influence |
| Zaima Rahman | Daughter of Tarique Rahman | Considered a fresh face in politics |
| Rezaul Karim (Badsha) | BNP Bogura District President, Former Mayor | Local leadership experience |
| AKM Mahbubur Rahman | Former BNP District President & Mayor | Veteran politician |
| Saiful Islam | Former BNP District President | Influential at the district level |
| Helaluzzaman Talukder | Former MP, Bogura-7 | Established family influence in region |
| Moudud Hossain Alamgir (Pavel) | BNP Media Cell Chief | Connected to central party leadership |
Commenting on the developments, BNP Bogura District’s Acting Secretary and Bogura-4 MP Mosharraf Hossain said, “The party’s candidate for the by-election in Bogura-6 has not yet been finalised. Once the schedule is announced, the party high command will officially declare the nominee. Both Bogura-6 and Bogura-7 have historically been strongholds of the Zia family. In previous elections, late Chairperson Khaleda Zia won by landslides, and this time, our Chairman secured a decisive victory. It will ultimately be the Chairman’s decision whether a member of the Zia family or another experienced leader will contest the by-election.”
Political analysts note that BNP is likely to weigh both family legacy and local political experience before finalising a candidate. Given the constituency’s history as a party bastion, the by-election outcome will be closely watched, both locally and nationally, as a barometer of BNP’s continuing strength in Bogura.
This upcoming by-election not only carries significant political weight for the BNP but also serves as an early indicator of the party’s strategy ahead of future national contests.