By Admin 
The 13th National Parliamentary Election is going to be held in Bangladesh on 12 February. According to the Election Commission data, a total of 1,994 candidates are contesting on 300 parliamentary seats in the country. Of these, 256 candidates are independent, while the rest are associated with different political parties. The nomination process has been completed.
Shocking figures have emerged in the affidavits of the candidates issued by Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB). According to reports, at least 26 candidates have assets worth more than Tk 10 billion (Tk 1,000 crore). On the basis of current market value of movable and immovable properties, 891 candidates fall in the category of crorepati.
Richest candidate Abdul Awal Mintu
BNP candidate Abdul Awal Mintu has emerged as the richest candidate from Feni-3 (Sonagaji and Daganbhuiyan) seat. According to his affidavit, the total assets of he and his wife Nasreen Fatima Awal are 6.07 billion taka (607 crore taka). In this, 5.07 billion taka is registered in his own name and 1 billion taka in his wife’s name. He has also given information about personal liabilities of Taka 5.15 crore and bank loans of about Taka 280 crore. He has no liabilities on his wife and children.
BNP candidates at second and third place
BNP candidate Mohammad Aslam Chaudhary is in second place from Chattogram-4 seat. He, his wife Jamila Nazneen Maula and daughter Mehreen Anhar have a combined wealth of Taka 4.74 billion (Taka 474 crore). He has given information about bank loan of Rs 345 crore. Fakhar Uddin Ahmed, BNP candidate from Mymensingh-11 seat, is in third place. His total wealth is 2.99 billion taka (299 crore taka). He has announced a bank loan of 15 crore taka.
Zakaria Taher in fourth place
BNP candidate Zakaria Taher is at fourth position from Cumilla-8 seat. The combined wealth of him and his wife Nazneen Ahmed is 2.92 billion taka (292 crore taka). There is no mention of any outstanding loan in his affidavit.
Three independent candidates in top 10
Three out of 256 independent candidates are included in the list of top 10 rich candidates. Independent candidate from Tangail-8 Salauddin Alamgir is at fifth position. The combined wealth of him and his wife is 2.83 billion taka (283 crore taka). Former BNP MP and current independent candidate MAH Salim is at sixth position. He is contesting from 3 seats Bagerhat-1, 2 and 3. His net worth is 2.62 billion taka (262 crore taka) and he has declared liabilities of 3.5 crore taka. Independent candidate Mohammad Fazlul Azim from Noakhali-6 is at ninth position. His net worth is 1.90 billion taka (190 crore taka), of which 21 crore taka is in the name of his wife.
7 candidates of BNP in top 10
Seven candidates in the top 10 list are from BNP. MD Jalal Uddin from Chandpur-2 is at the seventh position, whose combined wealth is 2.49 billion taka (249 crore taka). Golam Mohammad Siraj from Bogura-5 is at the eighth position. The wealth of him and his family is 2.04 billion taka (204 crore taka). He has given information about bank loan of 27 lakh taka. BNP candidate MD Safiqur Rahman from Shariatpur-2 is at tenth place. His net worth is 1.85 billion taka (185 crore taka) and he has declared bank loans of more than 41 crore taka.
experts’ concerns
Election expert Jasmine Tuli said that how can those who do not return public money serve the public? He also said that unless political parties adopt a transparent and merit-based nomination process, improvement in the electoral system is not possible.