Friendly fire in Dhaka‑9 as Jara, Habib, and Rasin vie for the swing vote

Dhaka‑9 (Khilgaon‑Sabujbagh‑Mugda) has become a national talking point for its cordial, issue‑focused campaigning. The leading contenders are independent Dr Tasnim Jara (ex‑NCP), BNP’s Habibur Rashid Habib, and NCP’s Javed Mia (Rasin). While many constituencies draw attention for muscle or rhetoric, Dhaka‑9 is being called a “green zone” for its civil campaign style.

Constituency: Dhaka South City Corporation Wards 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75. Voters: 469,360 (male 237,673; female 231,682; third gender 5). It is a dense mix of residential and commercial areas. Since the 1990s the seat has swung between BNP and Awami League; Khaleda Zia once represented it, so BNP retains deep organizational strength. For first‑timers Jara and Rasin, victory is a high bar, yet both have stirred interest among women and young voters.

Why the race is close

• Dr Tasnim Jara is pitching local roots and personal charisma to women and young voters. She runs a low‑noise, high‑touch campaign with 17,000 volunteers, no loudspeakers, and a six‑point pledge: “no service, no bill” on gas, drug‑ and crime‑free neighborhoods, and ending MP recommendation and quota in school admissions.
• BNP’s Habibur Rashid Habib, a 38‑year political veteran with a clean image, leans on the sheaf of paddy brand and a door‑to‑door drive. He urges voters to check his record and promises fixes for waterlogging, safety, and overall development.
• NCP’s Javed Mia (Rasin) draws on the July uprising spirit, promising systemic reform: IT parks, economic zones, cottage‑industry jobs for youth, anti‑drug measures, and safety for working women. As an 11‑party alliance nominee, he may attract Jamaat vote banks.

Swing factors
Analysts expect women and first‑time voters to decide the three‑way fight. BNP’s legacy base favors Habib, but Jara’s hometown appeal and Rasin’s reform pitch keep the outcome open.

Candidate snapshots

• Dr Tasnim Jara: Physician, researcher, entrepreneur, former NCP senior joint member secretary; VNSC alumna; MBBS Dhaka Medical; MSc in Evidence‑Based Health Care, Oxford; NHS emergency doctor; co‑founder of “Sohay Health” and “Sohay Pregnancy” app; former UN Bangladesh Youth Advisory Panel president; UK “Vaccine Luminary” 2021; published in peer‑reviewed journals.
• Habibur Rashid Habib: 38 years in BNP; ex‑Dhaka South convener (2011); ex‑central JCD general secretary (2012); BNP national executive member and first joint GS Dhaka South; business professional with multiple jail terms during anti‑autocracy and later crackdowns.
• Javed Mia (Rasin): Lawyer, poet, novelist, NCP central joint convenor; DU Law graduate; Supreme Court practitioner; founder‑president of SED Foundation; publisher of “Iiha Prokash”; author of poetry book “Tamisra.”

Other candidates: Islami Andolon’s Shah Iftikhar Ahsan; Jatiya Party’s Kazi Abul Khayer; CPB’s Md Moniruzzaman; Gono Forum’s Nazma Akter; Bangladesh Muslim League’s Masud Hossain; Insoniat Biplob Bangladesh’s Nahid Hasan Chowdhury Junayed; BSD (Marxist)’s Khandaker Mizanur Rahman; National Peoples Party’s Shaheen Khan; Bangladesh Nationalist Front’s Mohammad Shafi Ullah Chowdhury.