ATM Azharul Islam, Nayeb-e-Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami, has been elected as a Member of Parliament from Rangpur-2 in the 13th national election held last Thursday. He secured 135,556 votes, defeating BNP candidate Mohammad Ali Sarkar by a margin of over 55,000 votes. His victory follows his release from prison nine months earlier, after spending more than a decade under a death sentence in a condemned cell.

Azharul Islam was arrested in August 2012 on charges of alleged war crimes and sentenced to death by the International Crimes Tribunal in December 2014. The verdict was upheld in 2019, but following the fall of the previous government, the Supreme Court acquitted him on May 27 of the previous year. He was released the next day after nearly 13 years in custody.

Following his election win, local supporters and party activists gathered at his residence to congratulate him. Azharul Islam expressed gratitude to voters and pledged to work for the development of Badarganj and Taraganj, emphasizing unity and service to all constituents regardless of political affiliation.