Manna regains candidacy in Bogura-2 constituency

Mahmudur Rahman Manna, President of Nagorik Oikya, has successfully regained his candidacy for the Bogura-2 (Shibganj) constituency in the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election. 

The Election Commission (EC) declared his nomination valid on Sunday, January 11, 2026, following a successful appeal hearing held at the Nirbhaban auditorium in Agargaon, Dhaka.

The decision came after the Bogura Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer, Md Taufiqur Rahman, had initially rejected Manna's nomination papers on January 2 during the scrutiny process. 

The rejection was based on alleged inconsistencies in his affidavit, including: Failure to disclose information about pending criminal cases; The affidavit being signed a day after its execution; Non-submission of the required asset declaration form.

Manna appealed the decision, and the EC granted it after reviewing the case, noting that the issues had been resolved or addressed satisfactorily.

A veteran political figure, Manna is a two-time Vice President of the Dhaka University Central Students' Union (DUCSU) and a former Awami League leader. 

He has contested parliamentary elections multiple times in the past but has yet to win a seat. 

For this election, he is receiving support from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). 

On December 24, 2025, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced at a press conference that the party was conceding the Bogura-2 seat to Manna as part of their alliance arrangement.

Notably, Manna's nomination for Dhaka-18 had already been validated earlier, allowing him to potentially contest from both constituencies.

The 13th National Parliamentary Election is scheduled for February 12, 2026. This development marks a significant boost for Manna and the opposition alliance in the Bogura-2 race.