Anisur Rahman Swapan, Barisal
Awami League has a strong base in the Barisal 6 constituency (Bakerganj upazila), which comprises one municipality and 14 unions.
Historically, however, Awami League has given up this seat in favour of Jatiya Party, a member of the 14-party alliance. This time, grassroots Awami League leaders in Bakerganj upazila want to see one of their own party’s leaders nominated.
Jatiya Party (JaPa) also has a number of hopeful candidates who all wish to retain the seat for their party.
Meanwhile, BNP is intent on resolving their internal conflicts and winning the constituency, which has a total of 245,159 registered voters.
AL eager to grab seat, JaPa unwilling to let go
Since 2001, Awami League has not run any of their candidates for the Barisal 6 constituency, giving up the seat for JaPa.
For the upcoming election, candidates from the ruling party include Maj Gen (retd) Abdul Hafiz Mollick - a member of the Awami League advisory council who was previously nominated by the party in the ninth and 10th general elections.
"Although Jatiya Party won the last election, it was largely due to Awami League's support," he said.
Another AL aspirant in Barisal 6 is municipality Mayor and General Secretary of upazila Awami League Lokman Hossain Dakua. "Awami League leaders and activists of Bakerganj want the party to nominate one of its own," he told the Dhaka Tribune.
Other than these two, individuals aspiring to be nominated for Barisal 6 are Bakerganj upazila Chairman and President of upazila Awami League Shamsul Alam Chunnu; Irene Reza, the wife of former MP Masud Reza; and former Buet Chhatra League President Monjurul Haque Monju.
If the election is held under the banner of the 14-Party Alliance, current MP of Barisal 6 constituency and Jatiya Party (Ershad) Presidium Member Nasrin Jahan Ratna Amin will ask for Jatiya Party’s nomination .
She will also run for election even if Jatiya Party participates in it independently of the alliance.
BNP enhancing organizational strength
BNP is strengthening its organizational harmony in Barisal 6 by resolving internal conflicts before the upcoming polls.
BNP nomination-seekers include the former MP and current president of upazila BNP, Abul Hossain Khan.
Although he denies that there are any internal conflicts in BNP in Bakerganj, his detractors have expressed their opposition to his receiving the party’s nomination by holding a press conference in Barisal.
Other BNP aspirants are member of executive committee of central BNP Shahid Hasan, General Secretary of Dhaka (South) Jubo Dal Golam Mawla Shahin, and central Jubo Dal leader Nurul Islam Khan Masud.
Also in the running are the former member of Barisal BNP Abdus Sukkur Bachchu, former Secretary of Barisal BNP Nazrul Islam Khan Rajon, Brig Gen (retd) Anwar Hossain, and Sikder Khalilur Rahman.
Meanwhile, Joint General Secretary of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) Md Mohsin also hopes to receive the nomination.
Concurrently, central organizing secretary Mawlana Md Nurul Islam Al-Amin Chowdhury, from Islami Andolon Bangladesh, is fighting for his party’s nomination.