Photo: BSS

RAJSHAHI, Feb 7, 2026 (BSS)- A total of 204 inmates detained at Rajshahi Central Jail have cast their votes through postal ballots. 

On average, the jail houses around 2,600 under trial prisoners and convicts. Of them, only 273 inmates had registered to vote.

Senior Jail Superintendent Md Shah Alam Khan confirmed the information.
 
Prison authorities said that about half of the inmates are convicted prisoners, while the other half is under trial detainees. 

A large number of the convicts have been incarcerated for a long time, and many of them were not registered voters. As a result, they could not register to vote by postal ballot.
 
There is also a rule that if someone registers to vote by postal ballot while in custody and is later released on bail, they cannot vote outside afterward. For this reason as well, many under trial prisoners and convicts did not register to vote.
 
Out of the 273 registered inmates, ballot papers were issued in the names of 204 inmates after all details—such as name, address, and parliamentary constituency—were found to be correct. 
Voting by postal ballot began earlier and continued until this afternoon. 
Meanwhile, 32 registered inmates were released on bail after registration, making it impossible to collect their votes. The 204 ballots cast have been sent to the post office.
 
Former Members of Parliament Asaduzzaman Asad from Rajshahi-3 (Paba–Mohanpur) constituency and Enamul  Haque from Rajshahi-4 (Bagmara) constituency are currently imprisoned in this jail.

However, neither of the two Awami League leaders voted, as they did not register to do so.
 
Senior Jail Superintendent Md Shah Alam Khan said, “We encouraged everyone to vote. Those who were willing registered their names. The two former MPs who were imprisoned did not want to vote. We cannot force anyone, he said.