A Correspondent:
Rajshahi: A total of 17,451 new voters were registered in 39 parliamentary seats in the region for the upcoming 12th parliament election, raising the voter number to 1,54,73,340.
Regional Election Officer Delwar Hossain said there were 1,37,57,889 voters in the previous 11th par-liament election.
He said there are 77,16,563 female voters and 77,56,676 male voters meaning the male voters outnum-bered the female voters. This time, the number of transgender voters is 101.
In the region, polling is supposed to be held in 34,059 booths of 5,436 centers in 39 constituencies of Rajshahi region on January 7 like other parts of the country. But, elections to Naogaon-2 constituency have been postponed due to the death of a candidate.
A stiff contest is likely in the forthcoming parliament election in the division as the polls campaign reached a peak everywhere in the division like other parts of the country.
In six seats of Rajshahi district, there are 21,77,761 voters, including 10,92,950 females and 18 transgender in the next election.
In the district, there are six constituencies and the voters are predicting a stiff contest in at least four of those.
Awami League candidate Omor Faruque Chowdhury (Boat) and independents Golam Rabbani (Scissor) and Sharmin Akter alias Mahia Mahi (Truck) are in contest in Rajshahi-1 (Godagari-Tanore) constituen-cy.
In Rajshahi-2 (City), 14-party alliance candidate Fazley Hossain Badsha is fighting against independent Prof Shafiqur Rahman Badsha.
In Rajshahi-4 (Bagmara), Abul Kalam Azad (Boat) and present lawmaker Engineer Enamul Haque Enam (Scissor) are in polls fight.
Present MP Shahriar Alam (Boat) and Rahenul Haque (Scissor) are contesting in Rajshahi-6 (Bagha-Charghat) constituency.
In Joypurhat, 7,79,220 voters, including 3,91,793 females and three third genders, are likely to cast votes in two constituencies.
In Joypurhat-1 (Sadar-Panchbibi), election fighting between AL candidate Shamsul Alam Dudu and in-dependent Abdul Aziz Mollah has gained momentum.
There are seven seats in Bogura district where 28,32,520 voters, including 14,24,617 females and 27 transgender, are expected to cast votes.
In Bogura-2 (Shibganj), Jatiya Party (JP)’s present MP Shariful Islam Zinna has been contesting against BNP’s former leader Beauty Begum, while JP’s candidate Nurul Islam Talukder is fighting against inde-pendent Ajoy Kumar Sarker in Bogura-3 (Adamdighi-Dupchanchia) constituency).
In Bogura-4 (Kahalu-Nandigram), independent Dr Ziaul Haque Mollah is contesting with Jatiya Sa-majtantrik Dal (JSD) candidate Rezaul Karim Tansen.
In three seats of Chapainawabganj, there are 13,54,553 voters, including 6,70,285 females and one transgender.
In Chapainawabganj-1 (Shibganj) constituency, AL candidate Dr Shamil Ahmed Shimul and independ-ent candidates Syed Nazrul Islam and former lawmaker Golam Rabbani are in field of vote.
Ziaur Rahman (Boat) is contesting with independent candidate Md Golam Mostofa Biswash in Chapainawabganj-2 (Gomostapur-Nachole-Volahat) hardly.
In Chapainawabganj-3 (Sadar), contest is likely between Abdul Wadud (Boat) and Abdul Matin of Bangladesh Nationalist Movement (BNM).
In Naogaon districts, 22,21,908 voters, including 11,13,749 females and 11 transgender, are registered to cast votes in six constituencies.
In Naogaon-1, AL candidate Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Biswash is contesting with independent Khalequzzaman Tota, while AL candidate Sourendra Nath Chakravery and independent Salim Uddin Tarafder in Naogaon-3 (Mohadevpur-Badalgachhi) and AL Candidate Nahid Murshed and independent Brohani Sultan Gama in Naogaon-4 (Manda) are contesting in the polls.
In Naogaon-5 (Sadar), election battle is taking place between AL candidate Nizam Uddin Jalil John and independent Dewan Shekar Ahmed Shisan, while AL candidate Anwar Hossain Helal is contesting with Omor Faruque Sumon in Naogaon-6 (Raninagar-Atrai) constituency.
In four constituencies of Natore, there are 14,59,784 eligible voters, including 7,30, 226 females and 10 transgender, to cast votes.
In Natore-1 (Lalpur-Bagatipara), AL candidate Shahidul Islam Bakul is in polls against independents Abul Kalam Azad and Kazal Roy, while AL candidate Shafiqul Islam Shimul against independent candi-date former state minister Ahad Ali Sarker in Natore-2 (Naldanga) constituency.
In Natore-3, AL candidate Zunaid Ahmed Palak is contesting against independent Shafiqul Islam, while another AL candidate Dr Siddiqur Rahman is in polls fighting against independents Asif Abdullah Bin Quddus and Zahidul Islam in Natore-4 constituency.
In Sirajganj district, 25,14,134 voters, including 12,39,858 females and 16 transgender, are expected to cast votes in six constituencies.
In Sirajganj-5, AL candidate Abdul Momin Mondal is contesting with independents Abdul Latif Biswash and Major (Retired) Abdullah Al Mamun, while AL candidate Choyan Islam is fighting against inde-pendent Halimul Haque Miru in Sirajganj-6 (Shahjadpur).
There are five constituencies in Pabna district where 21,33,460 voters, including 10,53,085 females and 11 transgender, are registered to cast votes in the upcoming election.
In Pabna-1 (Santhia-Bera), AL’s Shamsul Haque Tuku is contesting against former state minister inde-pendent candidate Prof Abu Sayeed, while AL’s Mokbul Hossain against independent Abdul Hamid Mas-ter in Pabna-3 (Chatmohar-Bhangura-Faridpur) constituency.
AL’s Galibur Rahman Sharif is in polls fight against independent Amzad Hossain Biswash in Pabna-4 (Ishwardi-Atghora).
