Nusrat Tabassum to fight against two Rezas

Nusrat Tabassum has played a crucial role as the coordinator of the Women‍‍`s Movement in the July Uprising from the beginning. 

She was the only female leader taken into DB custody. 

Nusrat was deeply involved in campus politics. 

However, this time, her plans go beyond campus politics; she has announced her intention to actively participate in the national parliamentary elections.

She has already been seen directly participating in various relief and charity programs in Kushtia‍‍`s Daulatpur area. 

She is preparing vigorously to contest from Kushtia-1 constituency.

An Overview of Kushtia-1

The Kushtia-1 constituency is currently made up of the Daulatpur area of Kushtia district. 

Apart from the BNP and Awami League candidates, two independent candidates have also been elected from this constituency. 

In the 2024 elections, independent candidate Rezaul Haque Chowdhury was elected.

Between 1991 and 2008, five people served in this constituency through four elections. 

While the BNP candidates were in power for two terms, this constituency cannot be called a BNP stronghold. 

In 2001, BNP‍‍`s candidate Ahsanul Haq Mollah was elected, but after his death, his son Reza Ahmed Bacchu Mollah was elected in the 2004 by-election. 

He is currently the president of Daulatpur BNP. 

As a result, the two Rezas hold a strong position in this constituency.

In 2014, Rezaul Haque Chowdhury was elected as an independent candidate from this constituency. 

Afterward, Awami League‍‍`s candidate was elected unopposed, but in the 2024 elections, Rezaul Haque Chowdhury was again elected as an independent candidate.

Election Results

In the 2024 elections, there were a total of 380,288 voters in Kushtia-1. While BNP did not participate, independent candidate Rezaul Haque Chowdhury was elected with 89,274 votes, contesting with the truck symbol. 

Awami League‍‍`s candidate, A.K.M. Sarwar Zahan Badsha, contested with the boat symbol and secured 48,961 votes.

In the 2018 general elections, Awami League‍‍`s candidate A.K.M. Sarwar Zahan Badsha won with 276,978 votes, while his opponent Reza Ahmed Bacchu, contesting with the paddy sheaf symbol, got 3,420 votes, though he was in jail at that time.

In 2014, when BNP did not participate in the elections, Rezaul Haque Chowdhury, contesting with the pineapple symbol as an independent candidate, won with 52,528 votes, defeating his nearest rival, Afaz Uddin Ahmed of Awami League, who got 52,909 votes.

In the 2008 Ninth National Parliament elections, Awami League‍‍`s candidate Afaz Uddin Ahmed won with 145,063 votes, while BNP‍‍`s candidate Altaf Hossain got 102,412 votes.

In the 2001 Eighth National Parliament elections, BNP‍‍`s candidate Ahsanul Haq Mollah was elected with 108,326 votes, defeating his closest rival, Afaz Uddin Ahmed of Awami League, who secured 103,491 votes. 

After Ahsanul Haq Mollah‍‍`s death in 2004, his son Reza Ahmed Bacchu Mollah was elected.

In 1996, Ahsanul Haq Mollah won again with 64,699 votes, while Afaz Uddin Mollah of Awami League got 47,053 votes.

In the 1991 Fifth National Parliament elections, BNP‍‍`s candidate Ahsanul Haq Mollah won with 56,804 votes, defeating his nearest rival, Khorban Ali of the Jatiya Party, who got 26,140 votes.

Nusrat Tabassum’s Background

Nusrat Tabassum, also known by her nickname Jyoti, hails from the Baguan village in Daulatpur upazila, Kushtia. 

Her father is a schoolteacher. 

She spent her school and college years in Kushtia before enrolling in the Department of Political Science at Dhaka University in the 2018-19 academic year. 

During the quota reform movement, she was pursuing her master’s degree.

At Dhaka University, she served as the Joint General Secretary of Nur’s Student Rights Council. 

Later, under the leadership of Akhtar Hossain, she became the Joint Secretary of the Democratic Student Power. 

Currently, she holds the position of Joint Convener of the National Citizen’s Party (NCP).

Historically, Kushtia-1 constituency was dominated by BNP’s candidate Ahsanul Haq Mollah. He was even referred to as "Pacha Mollah" by the locals and was once a well-known soap entrepreneur. 

He also served as a state minister. 

However, after his death, BNP‍‍`s position in this constituency gradually weakened. 

The situation deteriorated so much that in the 2018 elections, BNP nominated two candidates. 

Although it was claimed that this was due to legal issues and in case one candidate was disqualified, the other would stand in the elections, it is expected that Reza Ahmed Bacchu Mollah will get the party‍‍`s nomination. 

Meanwhile, Rezaul Haque Chowdhury, who has won as an independent candidate twice, may also contest. 

Altogether, Nusrat Tabassum faces a tough challenge against the two Rezas in her pursuit of the seat.