Female candidates of BNP, Awami League, and Bangladesh Communist Party are campaigning in full swing in Netrokona 4 constituency (Madan-Mohanganj-Khaliajuri) for the upcoming general polls.
The electoral battle among these candidates is intensifying as candidates campaign day and night, door-to-door, promising change and development.
However the constituents want to vote for someone who will stand for the neglected Haor population.
As per the Election Commission's instructions, 30% of every party’s candidates must be female.
Various political parties have been vocal about women’s empowerment but in practice, most of them have second thoughts about nominating female candidates for an election.
Of Netrokona’s five seats, Netrokona 4 constituency will see three female candidates battle it out in the 11th parliamentary election; and this has raised a lot of eyebrows in the locality.
After the independence of Bangladesh, the first woman to receive a nomination in the whole district was Khadiza Amin—for Netrokona 3 (Madan-Mohanganj-Khaliajuri) constituency—in the 2003 by-election, after her husband's death.
Later after the death of Abdul Momin—Awami League presidium member and former food minister—his wife, Rebeka Momin, was nominated for Netrokona 4 constituency in the 2008 general polls. She became an MP and was reelected in the 2014 general election.
Rebeka has again secured the ruling party’s nomination for the upcoming general election.
Meanwhile, Tahmina Zaman, wife of former Home Minister Lutfozzaman Babar—who has done a lot of development in the area—has received BNP’s nomination for the seat. According to the locals she has a strong presence in the area and a strong base of support.
Concurrently, Bangladesh Communist Party has nominated Joly Talukder as their candidate for this constituency. She is leading rallies and encouraging voters to vote for change.
Khaliajhuri upazila's Krishnapur village resident Sima Rani Sarkar said: "We will vote for someone who will stand with us in our happiness and sorrow, not someone who only talks and does nothing."
Opposition candidates have accused the ruling party and their activists of obstructing their election campaign in the area.
However, Awami League candidate Rebeka Momin has rejected such allegations and said: "A level playing field can be observed in the area for the upcoming polls. Everyone is campaigning peacefully. I am hopeful for a win."
The locals are eagerly waiting for voting day which is scheduled on December 30.
