Despite ongoing internal rifts within the BNP, the party’s nominated candidate Syed Mehedi Ahmed Rumi, former three times lawmaker also adviser to the party chairperson, appears to be consolidating his position in Kushtia-4 (Khoksa-Kumarkhali) constituency. He will contest against candidates from Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Andolon and few other parties.
The constituency comprises two upazilas—Kumarkhali and Khoksa. Kumarkhali has about 298,000 voters, while Khoksa has around 115,000.
Though some local BNP leaders and activists in both Khoksa and Kumarkhali upazila appear divided, political analysts say Rumi’s grassroots popularity and proven organizational record keep him ahead of the competition. The rural regions of both upazilas remain traditional BNP strongholds, particularly the Padma-Gorai banks in Kumarkhali and several unions in Khoksa, which are known as Rumi’s core support areas.
Rumi was hailed at Khoksa upazila.
A Seat with a Political Legacy/
Kushtia-4 is considered one of the most politically significant constituencies in the region. Since Bangladesh’s independence, the seat has alternated between the Awami League and the BNP. In the early 1990s, Syed Mehedi Ahmed Rumi was first elected as a BNP candidate. He won again in 1996 and 2001election, playing an active role in national politics.
In 2008, Awami League candidate Abdur Rouf secured victory and the party retained the seat for two consecutive terms in 2018, Awami League’s Selim Altaf won the election. However, due to internal party discontent and public dissatisfaction over local development, Selim Altaf lost the 2024 election to independent candidate Abdur Rouf, a former Awami League lawmaker. Now both have been languishing in jail.
Although there is some internal dissatisfaction within the BNP—especially among younger leaders who are unhappy with the central nomination process—Rumi enjoys strong backing from senior leaders and maintains deep organizational connections at the grassroots level.
Public opinion in the constituency suggests growing frustration among voters over rising commodity prices, unemployment and unresolved local issues. BNP candidate Rumi has been focusing his campaign on these grievances, trying to mobilize support around economic and governance failures.
Political observers believe that if the BNP can overcome its internal divisions and sustain a united presence on the ground, Kushtia-4 could become one of the most competitive battlegrounds in the upcoming election. Given his past experience, grassroots connections, and personal credibility, Rumi is still regarded as the strongest BNP contender for the seat.
Local sources say if the party’s central leadership can manage the field operations properly, the seat may witness a fierce electoral battle,” said a BNP insider seeking anonymity.
Factional Opposition Within BNP/
Leading the anti-Rumi faction within the BNP is Ansar Ali, president of the Kumarkhali Upazila BNP and former mayor of Kumarkhali Municipality. He is supported by several union-level leaders, including Ali Nawaz Tutul, general secretary of Shelidah Union BNP, who claims that “Rumi is now a leader detached from the people” and that “he has remained inactive for the past 17 years.”
In response to the allegations, Syed Mehedi Ahmed Rumi dismissed the concerns about internal opposition.
“I am not worried about a few dissenters within the party,” he said. “I have been elected as a lawmaker three times from this constituency, and I have faced far greater challenges before. Yet, people have voted for me beyond party lines,” he said.
Rumi added that most party leaders and workers remain in touch with him regularly.
“I have gone to jail twice for standing against the fascist Awami League,” he said. “If I were inactive, why would they have sent me to prison?”
Confident about his prospects, Rumi declared, “I will achieve a decisive victory.”