Salman F Rahman was spontaneously elected in the 11th parliamentary elections yesterday from Dhaka-1 constituency. He polled 3,04,797 votes from 178 centres while his nearest rival Salma Islam garnered just 38,017 votes from this constituency. Salman F Rahman and Salma Islam are widely considered the main candidates in the election from this constituency. Salma Islam has since withdrawn herself from the election. Salman F Rahman contested the election with the Awami League (AL) symbol of the ‘nouka’ (or ‘boat’), while Salma Islam contested on the ‘motor vehicle’ symbol. After the election, Salman F Rahman said: “The election was fair and neutral in every centre of the country. In Dohar-Nawabganj, the situation was the same.”

Before the election, 23 people were arrested from the area under this constituency for allegedly distributing money to influence voters and instigate violence. Salman F Rahman is a top businessperson who owns the Beximco Group. Salma Islam, a presidium member of the Jatiya Party (JP), is the wife of another top businessman, Nurul Islam Babul of Jamuna Group.

As a local voter of the area said, “Salman F Rahman is a man who can change the fate of the people of Dohar-Nawabganj. We believe he will pay special attention to the people of his constituency.” It is the first berth in Parliament for Salman F Rahman, the private sector adviser to AL chief and outgoing prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

MK