DHAKA — The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has announced its candidates for the 13th parliament’s reserved seats for women. One nominee, an Awami League leader, has sparked debate on social media.
Suborna Thakur is the forest and environment affairs secretary of the Kashiani upazila Awami League in Gopalganj. After getting the BNP nomination, she now claims her name was placed on the Awami League committee without her permission.
Kashiani upazila Awami League sources said the unit’s triennial conference was held on Nov. 30, 2022. The full committee list was released on Jan. 1 the following year. The list, signed by Gopalganj district Awami League general secretary G.M. Sahabuddin Azam, named Suborna Thakur as the forest and environment affairs secretary at number 27.
The BNP announced its 36 nominees for the reserved women’s seats on Monday.
The name of Suborna Sikder (Thakur) appears at number 20 on the list.
The matter has triggered a storm of debate on social media. Asked about it, Suborna Thakur said: “I did not voluntarily allow my name to be placed on the Awami League committee. I was given the post without permission.”
“I was not active in any Awami League politics,” she said.
But photos circulating on social media show Suborna Thakur attending various Awami League events and programs. A member of the Gopalganj district Awami League secretariat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: “Suborna Thakur held a position in the upazila Awami League. If she now denies it, she is not telling the truth. She is being dishonest with the party to get a new position and title.”
Suborna Thakur is a Matua community woman. She is a member of the Orakandi Harichand Thakur family and works as a teacher.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report