A member of the under-privileged transgender community, Shampa Khatun Popy, has been elected a member of Phulhari union in Shailakupa upazila, Jhenaidah.
Shampa, campaigning with the helicopter symbol, managed to receive votes four times more than her nearest rival Sabia Khatun. The victor garnered 2,101 votes against the latter’s 514 in the fifth phase of the Union Parishad polls.
Shampa said she had been beside the local people during the tough times caused by the pandemic. “I will continue my work to fulfil the expectations of everyone who voted for me.”
It may be recalled that in the third phase of the UP polls, independent candidate Nazrul Islam Ritu was elected the first transgender UP chairman of Trilochanpur union in Kaliganj of the district.
On November 13, Shahida Begum became the first member of the transgender community to be elected to office in the country when she won the reserved seat election to Maguraghona Union Parishad in Khulna.
Meanwhile, transgender candidate Kajoli Khatun alias Jahangir Alam has won the reserved women's polls to Talam union in Tarash upazila of Sirajganj by a huge margin.
According to the Upazila Election Office, Kajoli won the election with 2,149 votes while her nearest rival Chobiron Rani obtained 795 votes.