Political parties have kicked off campaigning ahead of the upcoming general election in Sumanganj 3 constituency. The area, comprising south Sunamganj and Jagannathput, has traditionally been an Awami League stronghold.
The ruling party has won the seat six times. Jatiya Party and BNP won it two times each.
Most of the people in the constituency are farmers and expatriates. There are 292,884 voters.
Incumbent Member of Parliament and the State Minister for Finance MA Mannan, and Azizus Samad Don, the son of former state minister for foreign affairs Abdus Samad Azad, are the frontrunners for the Awami League nomination.
On the other hand, South Sunamganj Upazila BNP unit president and former upazila chairman Faruk Ahmed is seeking nomination from the party.
Apart from them, Jamiat-e-Ulama-e-Islam’s central leader Shahinoor Pasha Chowdhury is seeking nomination from the BNP-led alliance.
In the Awami League, supporters of Mannan and Don have become divided over nomination.
Mannan has built up his reputation as an honest politician. Locals say the MP has worked very hard to develop the area.
“Numerous development projects have been implemented. Sectors such as power, road connectivity, and health have seen large-scale development,” the MP says.
He says he is confident about victory if the party gives him the nomination.
Don, on the other hand, has been campaigning focusing on his late father’s balanced development targets. He says he is seeking nomination to finish his father’s unfinished work.
South Sunamganj Upazila Awami League unit President Abdul Hekim says there is no infighting in the party. “The grassroots will support the party’s candidate,” he says.
The upazila’s BNP unit chief Md Faruk Ahmed says his party will win the seat if voting takes place under a neutral government.
