Sunday, 5th April 2026
Khabor Wala Desk
Published: 3rd January 2026, 12:47 PM
Tasnima Zara, an independent candidate contesting the Dhaka-9 parliamentary seat, has confirmed that she will not be returning approximately BDT 4.693 million collected from the public, stating that the funds will be fully utilised to cover her election expenses.
Having resigned from the National Citizens Party (NCP), Zara submitted her nomination papers along with a detailed affidavit to the Election Commission, outlining the anticipated sources of election funding. In the affidavit, she specified that the funds were raised from the general public through a crowdfunding initiative.
According to the documents, Zara began soliciting contributions for her campaign on 22 December via a Facebook post while still affiliated with the NCP. Remarkably, within just 29 hours of the announcement, the total amount of BDT 4,693,000 was transferred to her account via mobile banking and conventional banking channels.
In addition to public contributions, Zara declared that she will utilise personal savings and other sources amounting to BDT 2.3 million, along with £3,200 from foreign income, to finance her electoral campaign.
Her affidavit further reveals her annual income as a practising physician in Bangladesh to be BDT 713,597. The declared foreign income of £3,200 is equivalent to roughly BDT 527,000, bringing her total annual income to BDT 1,240,597. Furthermore, Zara’s movable assets are valued at BDT 2,230,190, while she has declared no immovable property.
Meanwhile, her husband, Khaled Saifullah, has reported annual foreign earnings of £39,800, approximately BDT 6,050,500.
The following table summarises the financial disclosures made by Tasnima Zara:
| Category | Amount (BDT) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Public crowdfunding | 4,693,000 | Collected via mobile banking and bank transfer |
| Personal savings and other income | 2,300,000 | Declared for election expenses |
| Foreign income | 527,000 | £3,200 converted to BDT |
| Annual income (domestic) | 713,597 | Income from medical practice |
| Total annual income | 1,240,597 | Domestic + foreign income |
| Movable assets | 2,230,190 | Bank deposits, other movable property |
| Immovable assets | 0 | No real estate declared |
| Husband’s foreign income | 6,050,500 | £39,800 converted to BDT |
Zara’s declaration underscores a transparent approach to campaign financing, with a substantial portion of funds sourced directly from public contributions. By officially stating that the collected money will be applied to election expenditure, she has preemptively addressed concerns regarding the accountability and utilisation of donations from citizens.
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