Affidavits submitted by candidates contesting Bangladesh’s 13th parliamentary elections have revealed a striking disparity in personal wealth, with declarations ranging from assets worth more than Tk500 crore to little more than cash savings of Tk1 lakh.
The disclosures, filed under election law requirements, detail candidates’ income, movable and immovable assets, liabilities, education and legal status, offering a snapshot of the sharply unequal financial profiles of those seeking public office in the election scheduled for 12 February.
An analysis of affidavits submitted by around 200 candidates from major political parties and independents shows that while some aspirants have declared vast fortunes, others report modest or minimal assets.
Wealthiest and poorest candidates
Among the wealthiest candidates is BNP-nominated Abdul Awal Mintoo, contesting from Feni-3. According to his affidavit, the total estimated value of his movable and immovable assets stands at Tk507.8 crore.
Of this, Tk333 crore is immovable property, while Tk174.7 crore is movable property.
Mintoo declared no personal loans in his own name but disclosed Tk294 crore in loans under various companies associated with him. His reported domestic income for the last fiscal year was Tk1.5 crore, with no foreign income. He relinquished his US citizenship on 9 December.
According to his 2025–26 income tax return, his assets were valued at Tk116.9 crore, his income was Tk1 crore, and he paid Tk39 lakh in income tax. One case is currently pending against him.
At the other end of the spectrum is Abul Mansur, an independent candidate from Mymensingh-7. A social worker by profession, he reported no annual income, owns no immovable property, and declared movable assets of only Tk1 lakh in cash.
Another candidate ranked among the poorest nationwide is ABM Mostafa Kamal Pasha of Islami Andolan Bangladesh, contesting from Bogura-1. A farmer by profession, his annual income is Tk80,000, while the value of his total assets—both movable and immovable, including agricultural land—stands at Tk13.5 lakh at the time of acquisition.
Party-wise contrasts
Among Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami top candidates, Amir Hamza of Kushtia-3 is the wealthiest, with assets worth Tk1.57 crore and an annual income of Tk8.61 lakh.
The poorest among the top Jamaat-nominated candidates, according to affidavit data, is Mia Golam Parwar, whose total assets amount to Tk37 lakh, with an annual income of Tk4.82 lakh.
Within top BNP candidates, Shimul Biswas has the lowest declared assets. His income, as shown in his tax return, is Tk11.84 lakh, while his total assets amount to Tk96.26 lakh. He paid Tk85,000 in income tax. Of the 17 cases against him, 11 have been stayed by the High Court, while six remain under investigation.
Among top National Citizen Party (NCP) candidates, the wealthiest is Abdul Hannan Masud, contesting from Noakhali-6. His assets are valued at Tk98 lakh, despite owning no immovable property. His annual income is Tk6.7 lakh, and he paid Tk25,000 in income tax for the 2025–26 fiscal year.
The poorest among top NCP candidates is Nahid Islam, the party’s convenor and a consultant by profession, contesting from Dhaka-11. He declared an annual income of Tk16 lakh, assets worth Tk32 lakh, and paid Tk1.13 lakh in income tax in the last fiscal year.
Jatiya Party leaders
Among senior leaders of the Jatiya Party (JaPa), Secretary General Shamim Haider Patwary reported an annual income of Tk33 lakh and assets worth Tk4.85 crore.
Moshiur Rahman Ranga is the wealthiest among JaPa’s top leaders, declaring assets valued at Tk13.19 crore and an annual income of Tk2.01 crore. He paid Tk21.9 lakh in income tax in the most recent fiscal year.
By contrast, GM Qader reported the lowest annual income among JaPa’s senior figures, at Tk4 lakh. He paid Tk2.22 lakh in income tax, while the total value of his movable and immovable assets stands at Tk2.57 crore.
Taken together, the affidavits underscore a vast economic divide among candidates vying for parliamentary seats—highlighting how Bangladesh’s electoral arena brings together individuals from dramatically different financial realities.
