Awami League presently has a foothold in Thakurgaon 3 constituency, but candidates from Jatiya Party, the Workers’ Party, the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) and BNP are quite active in this region in preparation for the 11th general election.
Jamaat-e-Islami has previously had a significant presence in Thakurgaon, but the party has become less active.
BNP has only won once in this constituency, in the 1996 election that was marred by irregularities. However, the party has made some notable progress in its bid to contest in the next election.
Thakurgaon 3 constituency is comprised of one municipality and ten unions under Pirganj upazila; and one municipality and six unions under Ranisankail upazila. The area is home to around 300,000 voters.
Tripartite election battle
In a stark contrast with the majority of the country where two parties will fight for a seat, three parties – Awami League, Jatiya Party (HM Ershad) and BNP – could engage in a tripartite election battle in Thakurgaon 3 constituency.
The previous local government elections indicate that the BNP has gradually strengthened and reorganized itself.
Workers’ Party candidates became lawmakers in this constituency twice by allying themselves with Awami League. The Workers’ Party nominated the incumbent lawmaker Professor Yasin Ali.
According to data from the Election Commission, in general elections from 1986 to 2014, Awami League won only twice in Thakurgaon 3—while candidates from other parties won six times. For this reason, Awami League has a habit of giving away the seat to selected party members of their alliance.
Awami League has not nominated candidates for Thakurgaon 3 constituency for the past 18 years.
Ruling leaders and activists, at recently-held rallies and meetings, have been demanding that an Awami League aspirant be nominated.
They pointed out that Awami League President Sheikh Hasina asked people to vote for the boat symbol in all three Thakurgaon constituencies, during a public rally on March 29.
Prospective candidates
Prospective candidates of: Awami League, BNP, Jatiya Party, and the Workers’ Party have already launched their campaigns for nominations.
Awami League has multiple aspirants; but BNP, Jatiya Party, and the Workers’ Party have only one each.
This constituency presently has a lawmaker belonging to the Workers’ Party, which is part of the Awami League alliance. However, the Awami League aspirants are actively engaged in electioneering to contest in the upcoming polls.
Prospective candidates seeking nomination in the Thakurgaon 3 constituency:
Awami League | Workers’ Party | Jatiya Party | BNP |
*District Awami League Senior Vice-President and former MP Emdadul Haque *MP Selina Jahan Lita (Reserved female seat) *Ranisankail upazila Awami League President and former upazila chairman Soidul Haque | *Worker’s Party district President and incumbent MP Yasin Ali | *Jatiya Party Presidium Member and former MP hafiz Uddin Ahammed | *Pirganj upazila BNP President Jahidur Rahman |
The issue of who will be nominated by their respective parties, and who will win the election, has become a hot topic of debate among the people of Pirganj and Ranisankail.
Shifting political landscape
Awami League candidates Ali Akbar, Shawkat Ali, Mokhlesur Rahman, and Emdadul Haque won in this constituency in 1973, 1979, 1991, and 1996, respectively. In 2001, Jatiya Party Presidium Member Hafizuddin Ahammed was elected through partial support from BNP and Jamaat.
Hafizuddin won his second consecutive term by defeating BNP candidate Jahidur Rahman, after Jatiya Party became a member of the Grand Alliance in 2008.
In the 10th general election, Hafizuddin was once-again nominated by the alliance, but former Awami League MP Emdadul Haque decided to support the Workers’ Party candidate Yasin Ali instead.
Yasin Ali was elected Thakurgaon 3 lawmaker—defeating Hafizuddin by a margin of 25,000 votes. Meanwhile, Ranisankail upazila Awami League Vice-Chairperson and Mohila Awami League leader Selina Jahan Lita was elected lawmaker for the reserved female seat.
Both of these incumbent lawmakers are undertaking serious efforts to be nominated by the Awami League-led alliance for the next parliamentary election.
Election buzz
Former lawmaker Emdadul Haque is optimistic that he will be nominated by Awami League in the next polls. He was considered a prospective candidate for Thakurgaon 3 by his party, twice, but he was instructed to withdraw his candidacy for the sake of the alliance.
Meanwhile, MP Selina Jahan Lita is also seeking Awami League’s nomination by using the image of her father - former lawmaker Ali Akbar – and her public support.
BNP’s Jahidur Rahman and Jatiya Party’s hafiz Uddin are also campaigning for an opportunity to contest in the next election. Both prospective candidates are readying their respective parties for the polls.
