Sudden Wealth Accumulation Puts NCP Leaders Under Public Scrutiny

So far, the National Citizen Party (NCP) has nominated 44 candidates for the upcoming national parliamentary election. This number may decrease later due to an alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami. According to affidavits submitted to the Election Commission, four of these 44 candidates are millionaires, while the rest lag behind in terms of income and assets.

The millionaire candidates of the NCP are: engineer Nabila Tahsin from Dhaka-20, US expatriate Russell Ul Alam from Sylhet-4, retired professor S. M. Zargis Kader from Natore-3, and Mahbub Alam from Lakshmipur-1. Mahbub Alam is the joint convener of the NCP and the elder brother of recently resigned adviser Mahfuz Alam.

Based on the income and asset information declared by the candidates, Nabila Tahsin has the highest amount of assets. Her total assets amount to BDT 54 million. In contrast, NCP candidate Pritam Das from Moulvibazar-4 has a monthly income of BDT 6,000, while Golam Sarwar Tushar, a candidate from Narsingdi-2, has no movable or immovable assets.

Student leaders of the mass uprising that led to the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s rule in 2024 formed the NCP in February last year. This is the party’s first time participating in an election. The NCP has already been allotted 30 seats under an alliance led by Jamaat-e-Islami, which may result in 14 candidates withdrawing from the race.

Six of the top 10 leaders of the NCP are contesting the election. The party’s convener Nahid Islam owns assets worth BDT 3.2 million, but he tops the list in terms of income, with an annual income of BDT 1.6 million. Among the top leaders, Abdul Hannan Masud from Noakhali-6 has the highest amount of cash, totaling BDT 3.5 million.

Assets of the Candidates

Among NCP candidates, the wealthiest is Nabila Tahsin. The current estimated value of her immovable property is BDT 31.15 million, while her movable assets amount to BDT 16.233 million. She also has BDT 6.7 million in cash and bank deposits.

Additionally, the movable assets of her husband, engineer Imdadul Haque, are valued at BDT 2.641 million, and his immovable assets at BDT 6.45 million.

Russell Ul Alam, a candidate from Sylhet-4, has immovable assets currently valued at BDT 22.422285 million. The IT developer has BDT 3.9 million in cash. His annual income is BDT 4.8 million in Bangladesh and BDT 6.2 million abroad.

S. M. Zargis Kader owns movable assets worth BDT 13.713529 million. He also owns a house inherited through ancestral property. His cash holdings amount to BDT 11.237327 million.

Mahbub Alam, the candidate from Lakshmipur-1, has declared the current estimated value of his movable assets at BDT 11 million.

Sultan Muhammad Zakaria Majumder, candidate from Noakhali-2, has declared movable assets abroad worth BDT 4.351 million. He owns 25 bhori of gold, valued at BDT 5.5 million, and has BDT 2.3 million in cash and savings.

Hasnat Abdullah, the NCP’s chief organizer for the southern region and candidate from Comilla-4, has movable and immovable assets worth BDT 5 million, with total declared assets of BDT 9 million.

Hannan Masud from Noakhali-6 has declared movable assets worth BDT 7.6 million. S. M. Saif Mostafiz, candidate from Sirajganj-6, has BDT 3.6 million in cash.

The highest annual income among candidates belongs to Sultan Muhammad Zakaria of Noakhali-2, who earns BDT 5 million annually from education and research. Nabila Tahsin’s annual income is BDT 3.9 million.

Sultan Muhammad Zakaria Majumder owns the highest amount of gold, with 25 bhori. He is followed by Dr. Mahmuda Alam Mita from Jhalokathi-1, Abu Naser Khan from Gazipur-2, and Ataullah from Brahmanbaria-3, each owning 20 bhori of gold.

Income and Assets of Senior Leaders

Sarjis Alam, the NCP’s northern regional chief organizer and candidate from Panchagarh-1, has an annual income of BDT 900,000 and assets worth BDT 3.373 million. He has BDT 311,128 in cash and owns 16.50 decimals of agricultural land received through donation.

Dr. Atik Mujahid, candidate from Kurigram-2, owns no agricultural land, vehicles, or houses. His annual business income is BDT 450,000, with BDT 82,330 deposited in the bank. Including a motorcycle, electronics, and furniture, his total assets amount to BDT 732,330. He also owns 4 decimals of inherited land and a semi-permanent house.

Akhtar Hossain, the party’s member secretary and candidate from Rangpur-4, also owns no house or vehicle. He has BDT 1.3 million in cash, while his wife Sanjida Akter has BDT 400,000. He has BDT 299,426 in bank deposits. This apprentice lawyer has an annual income of BDT 505,000.

Nahid Islam has a bank loan of BDT 300,000. The 27-year-old leader works as a consultant and served as an adviser in the interim government for seven months, earning BDT 1.2 million in salary during that period. Including this, his total income stands at BDT 1.6 million. He owns jewelry worth BDT 775,000, while his wife owns jewelry worth BDT 1 million.

Hasnat Abdullah has total assets worth BDT 5 million, with BDT 2.6 million in the bank and BDT 1.35 million in cash. He is a businessman with an annual income of BDT 1.253 million.

Senior joint chief coordinator Hannan Masud, also a businessman, has shown himself as the owner of a business named Digilant Global, with an annual income of BDT 670,000. He has BDT 1,055 deposited in banks and financial institutions. His movable assets are valued at BDT 7.685 million.

Jabed Mia Rasin, candidate from Dhaka-9, is a lawyer with an annual income of BDT 625,000.

Ariful Islam, joint convener of the NCP and candidate from Dhaka-18, works in freelance journalism and business but has no annual income. He owns savings certificates worth BDT 200,000 and jewelry worth BDT 2.5 million.

Situation of Other Candidates

Dilshana Parul, candidate from Dhaka-19, works as a development worker and possesses 700 Australian dollars.

Abdullah Al Amin, joint member secretary of the NCP and candidate from Narayanganj-4, is a lawyer with an annual income of BDT 585,000.

S. M. Saif Mostafiz, candidate from Sirajganj-6, is a businessman with an annual income of BDT 650,000.

Dr. Mahmuda Alam Mitu, joint member secretary and candidate from Jhalokathi-1, is a physician with an annual income of BDT 300,000. She has BDT 2.84 million in cash, and jointly with her husband Mahbubur Rahman, BDT 4.579 million in cash.

Golam Sarwar (Tushar), joint convener and candidate from Narsingdi-2, earns BDT 340,000 annually from writing books and research. He has BDT 300,000 in cash and owns no house, vehicle, or movable or immovable property.

Ali Naser Khan, candidate from Gazipur-2, is a lawyer with an annual income of BDT 649,000 and BDT 1.5 million in cash.

Likhan Mia, candidate from Sherpur-1, earns BDT 450,000 annually from business. His immovable property is valued at BDT 8 million, while his wife’s immovable property is valued at BDT 9 million.

Pritesh Das, candidate from Moulvibazar-4, earns BDT 72,000 annually from agriculture. He owns 15 decimals of agricultural land, while his dependents own 180 decimals.

Jobairul Hasan Arif, candidate from Chattogram-8, earns BDT 330,000 annually from journalism.

Ehteshamul Haque, a UK expatriate and candidate from Sylhet-1, earns BDT 380,000 in Bangladesh and BDT 600,000 abroad. His expatriate wife earns BDT 4 million annually and owns a vehicle worth BDT 1 million.

Jamil Hijazi, also known as Syed Jamil, candidate from Rajbari-2, works as a writer, consultant, and businessman. His annual income from business is BDT 680,000, while his wife earns BDT 532,470 from government service. He earns BDT 98,000 from writing and has BDT 1.6 million in cash.