With the national election approaching, politics in Sylhet-2 has taken an interesting turn. Alongside BNP-nominated candidate Tahsina Rushdir Luna, her son Mohammad Abrar Elias has also submitted nomination papers as an independent candidate—sparking lively discussions across the constituency.
According to party sources, Luna filed her nomination as the official BNP candidate, while on the same day her son submitted his papers independently. The mother and son went together to the Assistant Returning Officer’s office in Bishwanath to submit their nominations.
Party insiders say this is a strategic move rather than a rivalry. Given previous experiences where nominations were cancelled due to legal complications, the family decided to keep a “backup.” If one candidate’s nomination is rejected, the other will still remain in the race. However, they hinted that both will not contest simultaneously in the final ballot.
This precaution is rooted in past events. During the 2018 general election, although Luna was nominated by the BNP, her candidacy was cancelled over legal issues and she could not contest despite later court directions. At that time, Gono Forum’s candidate Mokabbir Khan, backed by the BNP, went on to win the seat.
Sylhet-2 is seen as a politically significant constituency, long tied to the name of missing BNP leader M Ilias Ali, who was elected multiple times from here. After his disappearance, his wife Luna gradually became active in politics and currently serves as an adviser to the BNP chairperson.
Speaking to reporters after filing the nomination, Luna confirmed that her son’s candidacy is purely strategic—nothing more.
Meanwhile, apart from Luna and Abrar, seven more candidates have submitted nominations from Sylhet-2. They include Mohammad Muntasir Ali of Khelafat Majlis, Abdul Hannan of Jamaat-e-Islami, Jatiya Party’s Mahbubur Rahman Chowdhury, Islami Andolan’s Amir Uddin, Gono Forum’s Mujibul Haque, Gono Odhikar Parishad’s Zaman Ahmed Siddiqui and independent candidate Mohammad Abdus Shahid.
Election officials said a clearer picture of who will finally remain in the race will emerge after the scrutiny process.