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Published : 25 Jan 2026, 06:52 PM
Abu Sayeed, a former state minister for information and a recent BNP entrant, has announced his withdrawal from the election in the Pabna-1 (Santhia) constituency.
After initially contesting in the seat as an independent candidate, Abu Sayeed joined the BNP on Jan 21.
He confirmed his decision to step aside in a phone call with bdnews24.com on Sunday afternoon.
“In the current political context, restoring democracy and standing for the cause of independence are essential. As an organiser of the great Liberation War, this decision comes from a moral responsibility,” he said.
He added that ensuring the victory of the BNP’s Sheaf of Paddy candidate in the constituency was another key reason behind his move.
“I have contested in many elections in my life and have served as a member of parliament. Today, broader unity in favour of independence matters more than personal image,” he said, announcing full support for BNP-nominated candidate Shamsur Rahman.
Sayeed was a member of the then Pakistan National Assembly in 1970.
He was a part of the committee that drafted the Constitution.
He was first elected a member of parliament from Pabna-1 in 1973. He was also elected in the 1996 parliamentary elections.
He contested in the parliamentary elections in 1991 as a BAKSAL candidate, 2001 as an Awami League candidate, 2014 as an independent candidate, and 2018 as a Gono Forum candidate, but lost each time.
After the 1/11 military-controlled takeover, the Awami League’s information and research secretary at the time came to be known as a reformist and was eventually removed from the party leadership.
On Jan 21, he formally joined the BNP at the party chairperson’s office in Gulshan, where he was welcomed by Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
Sayeed also alleged that he and his supporters were being harassed through cases, saying he decided to back the BNP to prevent anti-Liberation War forces from resurfacing.
BNP candidate Shamsur Rahman welcomed the decision, saying Abu Sayeed’s experience and support would strengthen their prospects.
“We will contest in this election united and move closer to victory,” he said.
