A political vacuum created by the death of two Gaibandha 1 constituency MPs within a year has placed the local Awami League in a dilemma ahead of the 11th parliamentary election.
Awami League unit chief Manzurul Islam Liton was shot dead by assailants inside his own house in Sundarganj on December 31, 2016.
His successor as Gaibandha 1 MP, the unit’s general secretary Golam Mostafa, then succumbed to injuries he had received in a road accident on December 18, 2017.
Local ruling party sources said at least eight aspirants are lobbying for the nomination to succeed them in the constituency, which consists of Sundarganj upazila.
In contrast, the main opposition BNP and Jatiya Party have already selected their candidates for the seat at the national election, which is slated for December.
Jamaat-e-Islami has also selected a candidate, but he must stand as an independent as the party cannot participate in the election following a High Court verdict that cancelled its registration in 2013.
AL aspirants
The Awami League aspirants for the upcoming election include Liton’s elder sister, Afroza Bari; his wife, the Mohila Awami League district unit leader, Syeda Khurshid Jahan Smriti; and Mostafa’s son, Mehedi Mostafa Masum.
“I am hopeful of winning if I get the party ticket to contest the election,” said Afroza, who is managing director of Ananda Group and also the joint convener of Awami League’s upazila unit.
Smriti said that, if nominated, she will contest the election. Her supporters said the party should nominate her so that she can finish the unfinished projects initiated by her late husband.
Also in contention for Gaibandha 1 are the Awami League’s upazila unit leader, Sajedul Islam; the Sundarganj municipality mayor, Abdullah Al Mamun; the district unit leader, Syeda Maksuda Khaza; and the Jubo League upazila unit leader, Rezaul Alam.
Local Awami League leaders said if the party fails to nominate a competent candidate, the party will face a “debacle.”
Jatiya Party has finalized incumbent MP Shamim Haider Patwary as its candidate, after party chairman HM Ershad announced his name during recent rallies held in Gaibandha.
Shamim won the by-election held in March, defeating Awami League’s Afroza.
“I am working to develop the constituency and will continue to contribute more if elected again,” he said.
BNP Sundarganj upazila unit former chief Jahangir Alam Jinnah is the lone aspirant for his party.
He said if BNP participates in the election, he will seek its nomination and is hopeful of winning if selected.
Jamaat stronghold
Sundarganj upazila is a stronghold of Jamaat.
In 2013 the upazila witnessed violence and sabotage, including the death of four policemen, after the war crimes tribunal delivered a death sentence to Jamaat leader Delwar Hossain Sayedee – which was later reduced by the Supreme Court to life imprisonment.
Following these incidents, scores of cases were filed accusing thousands of BNP and Jamaat activists; over 100 activists were also arrested in these cases.
Jamaat’s district unit Assistant Secretary Majedur Rahman is expected to contest the election as an independent candidate.
Majedur, also an upazila parishad chairman, said he has worked a lot to develop the area, and if elected an MP, he will work even more.
Locals remain dissatisfied by these actions of the Awami League-led government.
As such, local BNP-Jamaat leaders believe that if they jointly nominate a candidate and the Awami League candidate is not strong enough, there are high chances that the Alliance candidate will win the election.
Jamaat’s district unit Assistant Secretary Majedur Rahman – also an upazila parishad chairman – is expected to contest the election as an independent candidate.
“I have worked a lot to develop the area, and if elected an MP, I will work even more,” he said.