The Awami League backed candidate in the Rajshahi City Corporation polls, former mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, is believed to have lost due to his rivals tactic of focusing attention away from local issues onto unpopular aspects of the 14-party ruling government coalition.
Political analysts and local observers said residents of Rajshahi, which has lately become a stronghold for the main opposition BNP and its ally Jamaat-e-Islami, were easily persuaded by the anti-government candidate, Mosaddeque Hossain Bulbul, despite the fact that many appreciated the former incumbent’s tenure. Liton’s development works in his area during his mayoralty appear to have done little to retain voter support.
Religious inclinations were also played upon strongly by BNP-Jamaat activists and this is thought to have diverted a significant number of votes.
The Rajshahi elections received national profile with senior BNP and Awami League leaders visiting the area. Liton’s image lost out to that of the government’s in the polls, veteran local journalist Mostafizur Rahman explained using a small example.
“Rajshahi residents were waiting for over a year and a half for gas connections. They became available only a week before the polls. People took the matter as a publicity stunt.”
“Besides, following the Jamaat-Shibir mayhem in the city, police harassed many innocent people which brought under question the then mayor’s hold on the administration.”
Close aides of Liton, on condition of anonymity, said that local intra-party conflicts also played a vital role in the results. The mayor, they claim failed to cultivate core supporters and activists.
A local leader explained: “Maybe he was busy with official work at the Nagar Bhaban. But most of his activists think he avoided them. We would wait for hours at his office but could not get his appointment.”
He added there were also widespread allegations of nepotism against the former mayor.
Meanwhile, Liton was also late in starting off his campaign compared to the newly elected mayor. The role of Rajshahi Nagorik Committee, a non-political body of pro-liberation and progressive people, was also questioned by local activists in the losing party who claim there was no coordination with members of the 14-party’s publicity committee.
A district Awami League leader said requesting anonymity, “Internal factions also slowed down the campaign. An ex-leader of the unit, Sarder Amzad Hossain, supported Bulbul. State Minister for Industries Omar Faruk Chowdhury and district AL president Meraj Uddin Mollah were almost inactive.”
However, this allegation was denied outright by Liton’s election committee chief and MP Fazle Hossain Badsha. He claimed Awami League and its wings worked in unity and they lost because BNP successfully used their anti-government campaign and religion card. “Moreover,” he claimed “Jammat spent more than Tk 200m in favor of Bulbul to woo the voters.”
