Country's youngest contender

Twenty-five-year-old Dr Sunsila Jabrin Priyanka, the youngest candidate in the upcoming parliament election contesting from Sherpur-1 (Sadar), also the first candidate of BNP in the constituency since 1996, has formally started her election campaign.

The party sources said Dr Sunsila, born on June 22 in 1993, is a fresh candidate of BNP for the constituency as the seat was offered to their alliance candidate and executed Jamaat leader Muhammad Kamaruzzaman earlier.

BNP leaders and activists are very happy after getting their party symbol back in the constituency after 22 long years, said the source.

Dr Sunsila's nomination is highly welcomed by the party and its front organisations as well as the common people, Advocate Khondoker Mahbubul Alam Rokib, ex-office secretary, BNP Sherpur unit, said there was no internal party feud regarding her nomination.

Earlier, four BNP candidates submitted their nomination papers, but except Dr Sunsila all the nominations were cancelled on various grounds during scrutiny.

Dr Sunsila will contest against four-time elected Awami League (AL) Lawmaker Atiur Rahman Atik.

Terming her honest and active among all the other candidates of Sherpur's three constituencies, her party men are very enthusiastic as they have a strong hold in this area.

There are 14 unions under Sherpur-1 constituency and among those eight are in char areas.

A number of BNP leaders and activists said as Sunsila hails from the char areas the wave of char voters will surely help her win the election race.

“As Sunsila is a fresh and prominent figure we are expecting a tough fight between her and AL-backed candidate Atiur Rahman,” said Sanwar Hossain, a teacher in Sadar upazila.

Contacted, Dr Sunsila, currently serving as a lecturer at a private medical college in the capital, said she is fortunate to get the party ticket to contest the upcoming election race.