Awami League's Subarna Thakur gets BNP nomination for reserved women's seat

BNP has announced the names of candidates for the reserved women's seats in the 13th National Parliament. The list has created a stir in political circles, with many heavyweights being left out. Amid this discussion, surprising news has gone viral on social media claiming that Subarna Thakur (Shikdar), forest and environment affairs secretary of Kashiani upazila Awami League in Gopalganj, has received a nomination from BNP.

Her name was included in the final list of 36 candidates announced by BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Monday, April 20.

Following the announcement, Subarna Thakur became a topic of discussion. A list of the then upazila Awami League committee has spread on social media, showing her name at number 27 as forest and environment affairs secretary.

According to Kashiani upazila Awami League sources, the triennial conference of the upazila Awami League was held on November 30, 2022. The full committee list was published on January 1 the following year, signed by Gopalganj district Awami League General Secretary GM Shahabuddin Azam, with Subarna Thakur's name at number 27.

Additionally, a video has circulated showing Subarna holding a nomination form with Awami League's party monogram, where she is heard saying that the prime minister will give her nomination so she can work for human welfare. She claimed she has been in Awami League since birth and wants to strengthen Sheikh Hasina's hands.

Local BNP leaders and activists have shown mixed reactions to the development. Several local BNP leaders, speaking on condition of anonymity, said long-serving and dedicated party workers should have been valued. They expressed disappointment that someone from another party received direct nomination.