Nine out of 13 candidates who contested in the two parliamentary constituencies of Rajbari lost their deposits in the 13th parliamentary election after failing to secure the required minimum votes.
According to Election Commission rules, a candidate must obtain at least one-eighth of the total valid votes cast in a constituency. Otherwise, the Tk50,000 deposit submitted during nomination is forfeited.
Rajbari-1
As per results, BNP candidate Ali Newaz Mahmud Khaiyam won the Rajbari-1 (Sadar and Goalanda) seat with 1.54 lakhvotes under the sheaf of paddy symbol. His nearest rival, Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Md Nurul Islam, received 1.01 lakh votes with the scales symbol.
Zaker Party candidate Mohammad Ali Biswas secured 8,087 votes with the rose symbol, while Jatiya Party candidate Khondkar Habibur Rahman Bachchu received 2,586 votes with the plough symbol.
The constituency has 4.30 lakh registered voters. A total of 2.71 lakh votes were cast. One-eighth of the total valid votes stands at 33,988. As both Zaker Party and Jatiya Party candidates failed to reach this threshold, their deposits will be forfeited. Jatiya Party candidate Khondkar Habibur Rahman Bachchu lost his deposit for the third consecutive time.
Rajbari-2
In Rajbari-2, BNP candidate Harun-or-Rashid won the seat with 2.37 lakh votes under the sheaf of paddy symbol. His closest competitor, National Citizen Party (NCP) candidate Jamil Hijazi, secured 67,299 votes with the water lily bud symbol.
The constituency has 5.59 lakh voters. A total of 3.63 lakh votes were cast. One-eighth of the valid votes stands at 45,400. Seven candidates failed to secure this minimum and lost their deposits.
Among them, independent candidate Nasirul Haque Sabu received 36,338 votes, Islami Andolan Bangladesh candidate Abdul Malek got 8,503 votes, Jatiya Party candidate Md Shafiul Azam Khan received 2,052 votes, independent candidate Sohel Molla secured 1,219 votes, Gono Odhikar Parishad candidate Md Zahid Sheikh got 633 votes, Khelafat Majlis candidate Kazi Minhajul Alam received 321 votes, and Sanskritic Muktijot candidate Abdul Malek Mondal secured 266 votes. Jatiya Party candidate Md Shafiul Azam Khan lost his deposit for the second time.
District Election Officer Sheikh Muhammad Jalal Uddin said candidates who fail to secure one-eighth of the total valid votes lose their deposits, which are then deposited in the government treasury.
