Natore 4 constituency: Mudslinging mars AL’s campaign

The Natore 4 constituency, comprising of the Baraigram and Gurudaspur upazilas, has largely been dominated by the ruling Awami League. The party has won the seat five times since independence.

However, Awami League has not always been the strongest in the constituency. BNP candidates have thrice won the constituency in national elections while the Jatiya Party has twice secured the seat.

This time, when the ruling party is eyeing a third consecutive election win, internal disputes have taken an ugly turn with mudslinging between nomination-seekers.

The BNP is in no better shape. It has five candidates this time—two from both Baraigram and Gurudaspur. BNP leader Ruhul Kuddus Talukder Dulu said the number was not surprising given that they have a big political party. 

He said everyone will work for the party’s candidate who will be chosen on the basis of popularity in the locality.

Candidates of other, smaller, parties have hit the campaign trail— hoping to take advantage of the chaos inside Awami League and BNP.

Since independence, only one elected member of Parliament was from Baraigram. The Natore 4 constituency has a total of 381,053 voters. Of them, Baraigram has 212,041 voters.

Abundant allegations against MP Quddus

Quddus was an Awami League candidate in five national polls and won the constituency four times. He has also served as the state minister at the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock. The constituency has developed during his tenure.

However, local Awami League leaders and activists have raised a series of allegations against him. At a recent press conference in Baraigram, an Awami League faction accused the MP of having close ties to BNP-Jamaat activists. 

He has allegedly formed a “Quddus Bahini” ( “Quddus gang”) and made millions from corruption.

They also accuse Quddus of working against the party’s nominated candidates, who were not from his political bloc, in the last union parishad election. He allegedly misused his power to ensure the defeat of the ruling party’s candidates.

Violence erupted following the election when “Quddus Bahini” goons attacked houses in several villages, and assaulted Abul Kalam of Chandai village, they claimed at the press conference.

Quddus’ men allegedly tore down banners, posters, and festoons of nomination-seekers Shah Newaz and Siddiqur Rahman. The MP has been declared an unwelcomed person in the locality. Party activists claim that Quddus has failed to build an organizational base of the party in the locality.

Siddiqur alleges that followers of other nomination-seekers are regularly targeted by the MP’s men.

Quddus rejected the allegations, saying they were “false, fabricated, and baseless.” 

“I am a four-time MP. I won because the people love me,” he said—hoping to get the party’s nomination in the next election and continue his winning streak.