Jatiya Party leader Momtaj Iqbal, contesting as Awami League-led grand alliance candidate in Sunamganj-4 (Sunamganj Sadar and Biswambharpur) constituency is the lone female candidate in 19 constituencies under Sylhet division this time.
Momtaj, who fought in the 2001 polls and held the third position with 30,160 votes, is facing BNP's Fazlul Haque Aspia, the winner that time.
Wife of late JP minister Major (retd) Iqbal, Momtaj bears a good prospect of winning if she gets full support from the AL, said several JP leaders and activists in Sunamganj.
In 2001 polls, two other women fought in Sylhet division -- independent runner Azizunnesa (1782 votes) from Sylhet-2 and Nazma Akhtar Chowdhury of JP-Manju (3,389 votes) from Sylhet-5.
In 1996, Shamima Akhtar of JSD (Inu) got 1,005 votes while independent runners Ruhela Hossain Rina and Nilufar Zaman Nila Chowdhury got 327 and 255 votes in Sylhet-1 and Moulvibazar-3.
In 1991, only female candidate in the division was Minara Begum who bagged the lowest number of votes among six candidates in Sylhet-4.