Majority of NCP candidates highly educated, average age 34 years

Jan 24, 2026
Politics

Symbolic Photo: NCP (Collected)

PNN News Desk, Dhaka:

Under the 10-party electoral alliance, the National Citizens’ Party (NCP) is contesting 30 seats in the 13th national parliamentary election. Analysis of the submitted affidavits shows that a large number of party candidates are highly educated and comparatively young.

Out of 30 NCP candidates, 26 are highly educated. Among them, two hold PhDs, 18 have master’s degrees, four are graduates, and two are medical doctors. Four candidates have HSC or equivalent qualifications.

The two PhD holders are Atikur Rahman Mojahid (Kurigram-2) and Md. Shamim Hamidi (Pirojpur-3). The master’s degree holders include senior leaders such as General Secretary Akhtar Hossain (Rangpur-4), Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwari (Dhaka-8), Chief Organizer Hasnat Abdullah (Comilla-4), and Sarjis Alam (Panchagarh-1), who are contesting elections.

Two female candidates, Dilshana Parul (Dhaka-19) and Nabila Tasnid (Dhaka-20), also hold master’s degrees. NCP convener Md. Nahid Islam and four candidates hold bachelor’s degrees. Among the doctors, MBBS graduate Md. Abdul Ahad (Dinajpur-5) and BDS graduate Zahidul Islam (Mymensingh-11) are contesting on the “Shapla Kali” symbol.

The average age of NCP candidates is 34 years, with three candidates’ ages not listed. The oldest candidate is SM Zarjis Kadir (Natore-3), 64 years old, former principal of New Degree Government College, Rajshahi. Four candidates are above 40 years old, and ten are under 30, the youngest being Nahid Islam, Hasnat Abdullah, and Sarjis Alam at 27 years.

Professionally, most NCP candidates are businessmen or consultants. Eight candidates listed themselves as businessmen, four as consultants, and others as journalists, teachers, lawyers, doctors, bankers, agriculturists, or development workers.

In terms of annual income, the highest earner is Sultan Muhammad Zakaria Majumdar (Noakhali-2) with 5 million taka. The lowest earner is teacher Ashraf Uddin Mahdi (Brahmanbaria-2) with 350,000 taka. In assets, Nabila Tasnid (Dhaka-20) is the wealthiest with total property worth about 38 million taka, while Sarwar Tusher (Narsingdi-2) has the lowest assets at 300,000 taka.

Among the 30 seats, one seat (Moulvibazar-4) is reserved for Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis, where NCP candidate Pritam Das is the only representative of a minority community.