The Awami League has been the dominant party in Gazipur 2 constituency since 1996. However, BNP leaders and activists claim the seat is their stronghold—pointing to their victory in the 1991 general election.
Awami League’s Zahid Ahsan Russel, the son of Ahsanullah Master, became the constituency’s member of Parliament after his father was killed in 2004. He won the next two general elections as well.
Russel will seek the party’s nomination in the next parliamentary polls.
The BNP has become active ahead of the election. The party’s grassroots activists started their activities after the party formed new committees for its: metropolitan, Jubo Dal, Chhatra Dal, and Swechchhasebak Dal units.
Recent party events have seen an increasing number of attendees. Nomination- seekers have already started approaching voters.
To wrestle the seat from Awami League, BNP might support freedom fighter Hasan Uddin Sarkar, convener of the party’s metropolitan unit and former Zila Parishad chairman.
His large-scale campaigning during the last city election attracted voters’ attention.
“Indiscriminate cases against BNP leaders and activists have helped the party gain the people’s sympathy. The BNP candidate will win by a huge margin if the voting is fair,” said BNP’s Gazipur metropolitan unit Joint Convenor Sohrab Uddin.
However, Gazipur City Corporation Mayor Jahangir Alam said Awami League was more popular in the constituency. The metropolitan Awami League unit general secretary said the party’s victory in the recent city corporation election has boosted the morale of its activists.
He said he hopes the party will retain the constituency in the next general election.
Two other Awami League nomination-seekers are the party’s metropolitan unit President Azmat Ullah Khan, and Mostofa Kamal Humayun Himu, a former central leader of the party.
Former BNP MP MA Mannan is ill. He wants his son Monjurul Islam Rony to be nominated in his place if his physical condition does not improve before the election.
BNP’s Gazipur unit Cultural Affairs Secretary Syed Hasan Zunnurain Sohel is also reportedly seeking the nomination. Apart from them, BNP executive committee member and former president of the Doctors Association of Bangladesh Mazharul Islam will reportedly seek the party’s nod.
MP Russel said he had been working tirelessly to implement his father’s dream—developing Gazipur. He said he developed educational institutes, set up schools, constructed multi-storey toilets on the Biswa Ijtema grounds, installed tube wells, and improved the Ijtema grounds. he also said he constructed Shaheed Ahsan Ullah Mastar stadium in Tongi and Shaheed Barkat stadium in Gazipur.
“I hope I will be nominated by the party to contest the next election,” he added.
Azmat Ullah said the Awami League chief had ordered everyone to work for the party’s candidate in the parliamentary polls, adding that he wants to represent the party in the upcoming election.
Awami League leader Himu said, he, too, would seek the party’s nomination. “I have been involved with Awami League’s politics for three decades … I will work for the party’s candidate if I am not picked,” he added.
From the Jatiya Party, former health secretary MM Niaz Uddin, the party’s central committee members Joynal Abedin and Mahbub Alam Mamun will reportedly seek the nomination.
