The exclusion of three ruling party lawmakers, including a whip and a state minister, has stirred controversies in Khulna.
The trio are Whip Panchanan Biswas from Khulna-1 (Dakop-Batiaghata) constituency, State Minister for Labour Begum Monnuzan Sufian from Khulna-3 (Khalishpur-Daulatpur), and Mohammad Akhtaruzzaman Babu from Khulna-6 (Paikgasa-Koyra).
They were replaced by Nani Gopal Mandal in Khulna-1, ASM Kamal Hossain from Khulna-3, and A Md Rasheduzzaman from Khulna 6.
The three other MPs of the district who got the nomination again are Shaikh Salahuddin Jewel of Khulna 2, Abdus Salam Murshedi of Khulna-4, and Narayon Chandra Chanda of Khulna-5.
Monnuzan Sufian, 70, was elected a Member of Parliament for the last three consecutive terms from the Khulna-3 constituency. Involved with labour politics, she also served as a state minister twice.
There had been a lot of discussion about the appointment of her brother Sahabuddin Ahmed as her personal assistant. Later, she was also criticized for the activities of Sahabuddin's wife and daughter.
Daulatpur Upazila Awami League General Secretary Shahidul Islam Band said Monnuzan Sufian is a political leader. She is involved in political activities with integrity and has been an MP three times. “But now she is alone. Her exclusion is undesirable.”
Khulna-1 MP Panchanan Biswas, 80, is ill due to old age. For this reason, he is inactive in various activities of the party. Grassroots leaders think that he was dropped because of his physical condition.
On the other hand, former youth leader Md Akhtaruzzaman Babu showed surprise by getting nominated in the 11th parliamentary election. But at the end of one term, he has failed to get the nomination.
Local sources say Akhtaruzzaman created controversy in the party and was left behind due to infighting.
Khulna District Awami League General Secretary Advocate Sujit Adhikari said that there was no comment on the exclusion from the list of nominations or getting nominations. “So I can't comment on it either. The party chief has given this nomination, thinking that it is good for the party and the country. There is no doubt that party workers at all levels will work shoulder to shoulder to make them win by accepting this decision.”
