The ruling Awami League – backed mayoral candidate is facing many hurdles in the upcoming Gazipur City Corporation election on July 6, burdened with both local and national issues. The 18-party-backed candidate on the other hand, is in a comfortable mood.
Before the next general election, this may be the last election for both the parties to show their political power. Hence all national issues have come together in the GCC election. Even the campaign for a ward councilor position is laden with national and political issues.
Voters, candidates and campaign workers are all taking it as a political battle of the ruling party and the opposition alliance, although city corporation polls is a nonpolitical local government election. Dozens of heavyweight national leaders are campaigning for both the mayoral candidates.“I used to overtake hurdles in every election. No gain without pain,” AL-backed candidate Ajmat Ullah Khan told the Dhaka Tribune, showing a positive attitude.
Ajmat Ullah Khan attends his jumma prayer in the Gazipur Central Mosque where he meets with voters after the prayer. Yesterday, soon after Ajmat left the place, people were seen gathering and talking about Gonojagoron Mancha and the incident in Motijheel on May 5 involving the Hefazat rally.
In different public gatherings, Hefajat leaders are claiming that the government killed hundreds of Muslims at their Motijheel rally, and asking people to reply to the “genocide” through ballots.
“They are asking people to give the answer through ballots against bullets,” local journalist Mamun, a correspondent for Shomoy TV, told the Dhaka Tribune.
“Choosing to hold elections a day after the jumma day is a mistake,” Jamil Reza khan, a voter from Shibbari area, told this correspondent. This gives religious groups a chance to manipulate voters, he said.
Sources said the opposition was using religious sentiments as the key campaign issue, seeing its success in the four city corporation elections held on June 15.
Jahangir Alam, the rebel Awami League mayor aspirant who later withdrew from the race, still has his symbol “pineapple” on the ballot paper, which may take away some votes from Ajmat, although Jahangir has expressed support for him.
Jatiya Party-backed candidate Mezbah Uddin Sarker, who also backed down after a meeting between Sheikh Hasina and JP Chairman HM Ershad, still has his “duck” symbol on the ballot.
On the other hand, BNP-backed aspirant MA Mannan has widely been blamed for his wide gap with voters and uneven development work in his constituencies — Gazipur Sadar and Tongi — with Tongi given less priority when he was a state minister.
Voters in Tongi consider Mannan a “seasonal well-wisher,” who is reappearing in the local political scene after a long time. He was visible in the city the most when he was a state minister for religion during the BNP government’s tenure in 1991-96, locals said.
Yesterday Mannan attended jumma prayers at Kasimpur industrial area’s BRDC mosque. Afterwards he met voters ignoring the heavy rain. BNP chairperson’s advisor Mahmudul Hasan and other central leaders were with him. Ajmat Ullah may declare his election manifesto next Sunday, sources said. Earlier on June 26 MA Mannan declared his manifesto at a press conference.