The Election Commission (EC) has collected personal data of Zubaida Rahman, wife of BNP’s acting chairperson Tarique Rahman, for inclusion in the updated voter list, officials confirmed.
EC officials said Zubaida’s information was gathered during the Commission’s ongoing nationwide voter list update campaign, which involves door-to-door data collection.
Speaking to reporters, EC Secretary Akhtar Ahmed confirmed that Zubaida’s information had been recorded as part of the voter roll update process.
However, according to EC sources, her inclusion in the final voter list will depend on the completion of the full update cycle.
Zubaida and her husband left Bangladesh for London on September 11, 2008, during the caretaker government’s reign following the 1/11 political changeover.
That year also marked the beginning of Bangladesh’s first-ever photo-based voter list.
Since then, the couple has not returned to reside in the country, and neither were registered as voters.
However, following the recent return of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia from medical treatment in London on May 6, Zubaida Rahman also briefly came back to Dhaka.
Prior to Eid-ul-Adha, officials of the Election Commission completed the data collection and biometric registration of Zubaida at her residence. She left for London again on June 5.
Under existing law, the draft updated voter list is to be published on January 2 next year, with the final list due on March 2.
But if the next national election is held in February, as being considered, the EC may move to amend the law to finalise the list earlier.
Zubaida, a physician by profession, hails from South Surma in Sylhet.
Though she has so far remained out of active politics, there is ongoing speculation about whether she may contest the upcoming election.