In the midst of a bustling election season filled with noisy rallies and lengthy processions, Pragati Barman Toma, running for Rangpur-4, stands out with her quiet, grassroots campaign. Her strategy focuses on engaging directly with voters, prioritizing issues such as farmers’ rights, women’s empowerment, and essential public services.
At 33 years old, representing the Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal (Marxist), Toma recognizes the significance of agriculture in her constituency, which encompasses key potato-growing regions of Pirgachha and Kaunia. Her agenda revolves around supporting farmers, ensuring fair prices for crops like rice and potatoes, establishing government-operated cold storage facilities with affordable fees, reducing input costs, and providing interest-free loans for agricultural purposes.
Moreover, her manifesto underscores the rights of marginalized groups, including Dalits and Harijans, advocating for land reforms, promoting agro-based industries, and combating drug proliferation. Toma emphasizes, “For the development of our region, the survival of our farmers is paramount.”
Despite facing financial constraints that limit her ability to hire staff or conduct large-scale events, Toma personally canvasses her constituency daily. Carrying leaflets displaying her election symbol, scissors, she traverses villages, engaging with constituents in their homes and fields.
In Hatiram village, Sandhya Rani, 36, commended Toma’s focus on women’s issues, expressing confidence in her ability to champion women’s welfare in parliament. Farmers like Afzal Hossain, 60, appreciate Toma’s hands-on approach, remembering her visits to discuss agricultural challenges directly with them.
A former Bangla student at Dhaka University and ex-general secretary of the Socialist Students’ Front on campus, Toma now supports herself through private tutoring. Her father, Pijush Kanti Barman, a retired schoolteacher, admires her resilience, while her mother, Molina Roy, notes the positive reception from female voters.
However, Toma faces hurdles as the sole female candidate among nine competitors in a constituency with over half a million voters. She criticizes the unequal electoral landscape, where money often overshadows genuine candidates, advocating for a fairer, merit-based political system.
Toma asserts, “In a system driven by wealth, fairness diminishes. People should choose based on principles and capabilities, not financial backing.”
