Of the 15 prospective candidates thought to be contesting the party nominations for Natore 3 constituency in the upcoming parliamentary election, only three have hit the campaign trail.
Visiting the constituency recently, this correspondent saw billboards and posters promoting incumbent ruling party lawmaker Zunaid Ahmed Palak, municipality Awami League president Shafiqul Islam Shafiq, and upazila BNP president Mujibar Rahman.
MP Zunaid Ahmed Palak – also the state minister for ICT – is one of the three leading candidates for the Awami League in the constituency, which has 276,047 registered voters across the 12 unions of Singra upazila.
The main opposition BNP has eight prospective candidates, while Jamaat, Jatiya Party, Workers Party, and Bikalpa Dhara have one each.
“Since I was elected lawmaker, Natore 3 constituency has witnessed a lot of development, including an ongoing High Tech Park Project, a digital training facility for local youths, and the construction of roads,” Zunaid Ahmed Palak told the Dhaka Tribune.
Competing with Palak for his party’s nomination are Shafiqul Islam Shafiq and the district Awami League vice president, Professor Shamsul Islam.
“People are searching for an alternative to Palak, so I am also seeking the nomination of the ruling party,” Professor Shamsul Islam said.
However, the upazila Awami League president, Advocate Wahidur Rahman, claimed the nomination had already been decided.
“The ruling party has only one aspirant in mind for this constituency, which is state minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak,” he said.
“Palak’s development initiatives have made party leaders and activists happy, so they are supporting him as an aspirant.”
Another ruling party nomination seeker, Shafiqul Islam Shafiq, claimed billboards and posters featuring him were being torn down by Palak’s supporters.
Close battle
Natore 3 constituents are expecting a close battle for supremacy between Awami League and BNP at the polls, which are due to be held in December.
Eight people are vying for the BNP nomination in Natore 3, including the upazila BNP president, Advocate Mujibar Rahman Montu; the district BNP publicity secretary, Dewan Shaheen; and district BNP president, Daudar Mahmud.
Daudar is facing some opposition from his own party leaders, as seven other BNP aspirants have demanded the suspension of the district BNP president on grounds of him breaching party discipline.
Some upazila and municipality-level BNP leaders have even warned of mass resignations if Daudar is not suspended from the party.
BNP aspirant Mujibar Rahman and Workers Party’s nomination seeker Mizanur Rahman are also making a serious effort to secure the support of their respective parties.
Engineer Anisur Rahman said he is seeking the nomination of the Jatiya Party of former military ruler HM Ershad - although he was still unsure under what symbol.
“Jatiya Party might participate in the polls as part of the Awami League-led alliance, or on their own,” he said. “The decision of the party president will be final in this regard. HM Ershad has told me to work closely with the people.”
The upazila Jatiya Party president will be challenged in Natore 3 by district Jamaat Ameer, Professor Belal Uzzaman; the Workers Party upazila committee president, Mizanur Rahman; and the Bikalpa Dhara Singra upazila committee convener, Anwar Hossain.