Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran’s defeat Sunday in the Sylhet city corporation polls was largely based on the lack of any visible recent development work, the Hefazat-Jamaat issue, the increase in young voters, non-Sylheti voting and intra-party feuding.
Talking to people across Sylhet city, our correspondent learned that despite Kamran’s personal charisma, voters were swept up by the hype created in favour of change. Arif’s campaigners were organised and active, even on the internet.
Some say mayor-elect Ariful Haque Chowdhury’s advantage was in the fact that he was a close aide of former BNP finance minister Saifur Rahman. Rahman has been the driving force behind many recent development projects in the city corporation area. Kamran was largely seen to have neglected city development, voters say.
“Kamran did not do a single development work in the city. He maintained good ties with Jamaat and Hefazat leaders. That’s why there is no Chhatra League or Jubo League activists in the city,” Muddaser Ali, an elderly man from Jindabazar area, told our correspondent.
During the campaign, heavy downpours caused waterlogging in the city due to inadequate drainage systems. This created negative press for Kamran during a critical time.
“Waterlogging and traffic jam are the major problems here but Kamran in his two terms in the office did not take any initiative to solve them. He did not widen a single inch of any road,” said Ajfar Ali, a resident of Jail Road.
Migrant and minority voters were Kamran’s mainstay, but during this election he lost many voters from these demographics.
“Kamran did not do anything harmful to us but temples were developed in Sylhet area during the BNP government. Kamran did no developments in the minority areas,” said Akhil Chandra Bishwas, a resident of Rikabi Bazar. Saifur Rahman had helped renovate many Hindu and Monipuri temples.
A large proportion of migrant voters, mostly hawkers and rickshaw pullers, are natives of greater Mymensingh. Arif’s wife, who is from Mymensingh, campaigned heavily in the slum areas, along with many senior BNP leaders of Mymensingh.
“Earlier we cast our votes for Kamran and this year we cast our votes for our bridegroom,” said Latif, a rickshaw puller from Trishal.
Businessmen were unhappy with Kamran as he sheltered hawkers, refraining from any initiative to evict them from the streets.
Young voters mostly cast their votes for Arif, who promised many initiatives for the youth.
Saleh Ahmed, a student from Faradi Para, said he cast his vote to bring a change in the leadership.