The ruling Awami League solda total of 84 nomination forms for the upcoming 11th parliamentary election to aspiring candidates from just two constituencies in Barguna District.
Fifty two forms were sold from Barguna 1 (Barguna Sadar-Amtali-Taltali) alone - the highest number of any seat in the country. A further 32 papers were collected by aspiring candidates in the neighbouring constituency of Barguna 2 (Bamna-Pathorghata-Betagi).
The record high numbers can be attributed to widespread discontent over internal feuds among local leaders and activists of the party in both seats.
No confidence vote in Barguna 1
In a press conference called by the AL in Barguna 1, a large chunk of the party’s leaders and activists expressed no confidence in the incumbent MP Adv Dhirendra Debnath Shambhu, who is also the district Awami League president.
Since then, he has not been on good terms with the party activists of his constituency.
District Awami League Organizing Secretary Golam Sarwar Tuku is leading the race to succeed MP Shambhu as the AL nominee.
“The people of this constituency want change and our prime minister will do whatever is best for her people,” he said.
Otherbig name challengers are Barguna District Awami League General Secretary Md Jhangir Kabir, former MM and current district council chair Md Delwar Hossain, and District Jubo League president Kamrul Ahsan Maharaj.
‘We have taken a stand’
In Barguna 2, sitting MP Showkat Hasanur Rahman Rimon is also facing the wrath of his party due to controversies such as occupying the land of a shrine and insulting a woman during a local arbitration of his region.
To make matters worse for the incumbent lawmaker, his father is a known Razakar.PatharghataUpazila Awami League General Secretary Advocate Zabir Hossain has been one of the unpopular lawmaker’s more vocal critics.
“Our current MP Rimon is the son of a Razakar and he has no contacts with the party leaders and activists,” Avd Zabir said.” The leaders and activists of the party have taken a stand against him for the upcoming election.”
Other prominent candidates among the 32 nomination seekers in this constituency are Jubo League Central Committee Finance Secretary Shubash Chandra Howlader, Bamna Upazila Chairman Saitul Islam Litu, Barguna Municipality Mayor Md Shahadat Hossain, and Deputy Attorney General and Bamna Upazila Awami League President Adv Harun ur Rashid.
People in the two seats say they have never before seen such high numbers of nomination forms sold for a national election.
“This is the first time 52 nomination forms were sold from this constituency, which is the highest in Bangladesh,” District Public Policy Convenor Hasanur Rahman Jhantu said.
Barguna Nagorik Odhikar Conservator Committee General Secretary Monir Hossain Kamal said: “Although Bagruna 1 became the highest in terms of nomination form sales, it is our expectation that the party president and prime minister will select the right person to contest the polls from here.”
