Rumin Alleges Overnight Voting Plot

Rumin Farhana, an independent candidate in the Brahmanbaria-2 constituency and the recently expelled international affairs joint secretary of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has alleged that plans are being made to manipulate the vote at several polling centres by casting ballots the night before election day. The constituency comprises Sarail, Ashuganj and parts of Bijoynagar.

Addressing supporters at a courtyard meeting on Thursday afternoon, Rumin said she had received credible information suggesting that irregularities were being organised in parts of Sarail. According to her claims, ballots would be cast in advance, after which polling centres would be closed and sealed to give the appearance of a legitimate vote. Speaking in an emotional yet forceful tone, she appealed directly to local residents to protect their democratic rights. “You are my relatives, my brothers,” she told the gathering. “It is your responsibility to guard the polling centres so that no one can steal your vote.”

The meeting was held at the field of Alinagar Government Primary School in Ward No. 7 of Sarail municipality and was organised by her local campaign workers and supporters. The event drew a sizeable crowd, reflecting the heightened political tension surrounding the seat.

Rumin Farhana also outlined a wide-ranging development agenda, should she be elected as Member of Parliament. She promised to initiate the process of upgrading Sarail and Ashuganj into municipalities, improve healthcare services at the Upazila Health Complex, and prioritise infrastructure development, including roads, educational institutions, mosques and madrasas. She further vowed to resist the diversion of Brahmanbaria’s natural gas resources to other districts, stating that local people must be the primary beneficiaries. In a pointed remark, she added that voters should reject her in five years’ time if she failed to deliver on these pledges.

Responding to critics who question how an independent MP could bring development without party backing, Rumin adopted a confrontational stance. She argued that political leverage does not depend solely on party affiliation and warned that she would not hesitate to organise strong protests if the government ignored the legitimate demands of her constituents. As an example, she claimed that the Dhaka–Sylhet highway could be brought to a standstill along the 34-kilometre stretch from Ashuganj to Budhanti if necessary.

Her address also carried a deeply personal note. Rumin told voters that she had left her ailing mother in Dhaka, entrusting her care to God, in order to stand by the people of the constituency. She said she had ignored party directives and given up the comforts of city life out of loyalty to local residents. Until polling day on the 12th, she said, the voters themselves were the custodians of her electoral fate.

In Brahmanbaria-2, the BNP-led alliance has nominated Maulana Junayed Al Habib, central committee vice-president of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh, as its official candidate. Rumin Farhana chose to contest as an independent, a decision that led to her expulsion from the BNP on 30 December.

Key Facts: Brahmanbaria-2 Constituency

The allegations and strong rhetoric have added further intensity to an already closely watched contest, with election integrity now emerging as a central issue in Brahmanbaria-2.