Internal feuds are forming within both the ruling Awami League and its arch-rival BNP in Jhenaidah 4 constituency over their nomination seekers ahead of the 11th national election.
The two major parties have fractured into groups, which have long been hosting campaign and other events separate of one another.
Jhenaidah 4 constituency comprises Kaliganj and parts of Jhenaidah sadar upazilas and has a total of 249,242 registered voters.
BNP won the seat for three consecutive terms in 1991, 1996, and 2001, but lost its grip on power to the Awami League in 2008.
Race for Awami League nomination
Seven candidates are vying for the ruling party’s nomination in Jhenaidah 4.
They include the incumbent MP, the party’s upazila unit General Secretary Anwarul Azim Anar, and the man he replaced as MP in 2014, the upazila unit President Abdul Mannan.
MP Anwarul dismissed talk of a conflict existing between the former and current lawmakers over the nomination.
“Once the nomination is announced there will be no conflict,” he said. “I hope everybody will work together for the person who is nominated.”
MP Anwarul said the Awami League has achieved many things and so it is only natural that many people are seeking to get on the party’s ticket.
“I was awarded the nomination in the 2008 election but my candidacy was cancelled due to a case pending against me,” he said. “I hope this time the party will again choose me as a candidate as I have worked a lot to develop the constituency.”
Former MP Mannan said BNP had won the constituency in every election since 1975 until he was nominated to challenge for the seat by Awami League President Sheikh Hasina ahead of the 2008 poll, which he went on to win.
“I have worked a lot for the well-being of the people and if nominated I will further work for them,” he said.
Other AL candidates for the seat are the former Chhatra League chief and central Jubo League member, Mostafizur Rahman Biju; and local party leaders Jahangir Siddique Thandu, Motiar Rahman Moti, Rashed Shamsher, and Tofazzal Babu.
BNP nomination seekers
Five BNP leaders are seeking the nomination.
They include the party’s upazila unit president, Shahiduzzaman Beltu, who was elected MP in Jhenaidah 4 for three consecutive terms in the 1991, 1996, and 2001 elections.
His supporters claim that during his terms, he worked on many development projects in the constituency.
Local BNP leaders think, if nominated, Shahiduzzaman will be in a strong position to regain the constituency.
The former lawmaker will be challenged for the BNP ticket by Swechchasebak Dal leader Saiful Islam Firoz, upazila unit’s joint convener Hamidul Islam Hamid, businessman Harun-ur-Rashid Molla, and Chhatra Dal Joint General Secretary BM Nazim Mahmud.
They have already started campaigning by hanging posters and banners as well as posting on social media.
All nomination-hopefuls said they will work for whoever the party nominates.
Nomination seekers from other parties
Workers Party leader Mostafa Alamgir Ratan, who ran as a candidate from this constituency in the previous election, is also vying for the nomination in the upcoming election.
He is already busy campaigning, visiting Kaliganj often and attending rallies.