Two new Bangabandhu family members to contest general polls

Two new members of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s family have received nominations from Awami League to contest the 11th parliamentary election, scheduled for December 30.

They are – Prime Minister and ruling party chief Sheikh Hasina’s nephew Sheikh Sarhan Naser Tonmoy and her cousin Sheikh Salahuddin Jewel.

Awami League on Sunday had declared the party’s candidates in 230 seats for the upcoming polls.

Tonmoy, the only son of Bangabandhu’s nephew Sheikh Helal Uddin, will be contesting from the Bagerhat 2 constituency. Advocate Mir Showkat Ali Badsha is the current lawmaker of the seat.

Helal’s brother Jewel will also be running for office from the Khulna 2 constituency, where Mohammad Mizanur Rahman is the incumbent MP.

At present, six members of Bangabandhu’s family are lawmakers in the 10th parliament.

Prime Minister Hasina, the eldest daughter of Bangabandhu, is a lawmaker from Gopalganj 3 constituency.

Her younger sister Sheikh Rehana, however, is not involved in politics.

Their cousin and Awami League Presidium member Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim is the Gopalganj 2 MP.

Hasina’s cousin Helal is the Bagerhat 1 MP. His father Sheikh Abu Naser was Bangabandhu’s only and younger brother.

Also, Bangabandhu’s nephew Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni son’s Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh is a lawmaker from the Dhaka 10 constituency.

A nephew of prime minister, Noor-E-Alam Chowdhury Liton is the incumbent Madaripur 1 MP.

Central Awami League leader Abul Hasanat Abdullah, another cousin of Hasina, is also the lawmaker from Barisal 1.

Independent lawmaker Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury alias Nixon Chowdhury, grandson of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s elder sister Fatima Begum, is an independent lawmaker from Faridpur-4 constituency.