Dr. Mostafizur Rahman Iran, Chairman of the Bangladesh Labour Party, has announced his candidacy for the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election from the Jhalokathi-1 (Kathalia-Rajapur) constituency. He made the announcement recently at a press conference held at the Kathalia Press Club, drawing significant local attention.Dr. Iran previously contested the 11th National Parliamentary Election from the Pirojpur-2 constituency under the BNP’s election symbol, the sheaf of paddy.Speaking at the event, Dr. Mostafizur Rahman Iran said, “As per the BNP’s earlier declaration, our party is prepared to participate in the election in alliance with them. However, seat-sharing discussions have not yet been finalized. For now, we are preparing to field candidates in 100 constituencies under the Labour Party’s banner.”
He added, “If a seat-sharing agreement with BNP is reached, we will seek only six constituencies — Jhalokathi-1, Gazipur-5, Dhaka-7, Faridpur-1, Dhaka-6, and Jhalokathi-2. I have already begun preparations to contest from Jhalokathi-1. However, the number of seats BNP allocates to us is not the main concern. We have been steadfast allies of BNP since its most difficult days in 2007, standing shoulder to shoulder in all movements under the leadership of Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman. I firmly believe BNP will duly recognize our contribution in these better times.”
It is worth mentioning that Dr. Mostafizur Rahman Iran was imprisoned during the previous Awami League government due to political persecution.
Mufti Arif Bin Shahid, Joint Convener of the Labour Party’s Kathalia Upazila unit, said, “Dr. Iran is a front-line leader in the struggle for democracy. He has played a leading role on the streets despite enduring attacks, lawsuits, and state repression. We want to see our party chairman Dr. Iran contest from Jhalokathi-1 in the next national election.”
Shamim Ahmed, Joint Convener of the Rajapur Upazila Labour Party, added, “For the past 17 years, Dr. Iran has been a prominent face in the movement against Awami fascism. He has suffered imprisonment, torture, and harassment, yet never wavered in his commitment. He is the most qualified candidate for Jhalokathi-1. With BNP’s support, he will surely win by a large margin.”