There is neck and neck fight at only one constituency out of nine in Chittagong as a defiant candidate of Awami League is contesting the polls from Fatikchhari constituency (Chittagong 2). There is no significant candidate against the Awami League and Jatiya Party at the other constituencies.
Sources at Fatikchhari said there would be a tough fight between Tarikat Federation Chairman Nazibul Bashar Maizbhandari, who is contesting with the boat symbol, and defiant candidate Mahmud Hasan, a member of the district (north) unit of AL.
A leader of the upazila unit AL, preferring anonymity, said local leaders and activists had resentment on Nazibul, who was elected from the constituency with AL ticket in 1991 and later left the party after being deprived of nomination.
Many AL men were persecuted by the henchmen of Nazibul after he had left the party, he said, adding, “A section of leaders and activists are working against Nazibul remembering his prior role although now he is with the alliance.”
Manjur Ahmed, a resident in Azadi Bazar area, said Nazibul would get the support of disciples of Maizbhandar Darbar Sharif and it would be helpful for him.
Mahmud Hasan told the Dhaka Tribune that he was optimistic of winning the polls as large portion of his party leaders and activists were with him.
He alleged that unknown callers were threatening him that they would complete balloting through unfair means, however, added that he was optimistic of a free and fair election as the army and law enforcers were aware of such ill-efforts.
Nazibul Bashar told the Dhaka Tribune that he had solved many local problems apart from conducting development activities earlier, adding that he was confident of being evaluated by the local people due to his contribution.
He, however, alleged that his rival candidate had ties with the Hefazat and Jamat men, adding that the Hefazat and Jamaat men could try to foil the election through conducting subversive activities sensing defeat of their candidate.
According to local sources at eight other constituencies, voters are not much interested about the election as the candidates of the ruling AL and Jatiya Party are heading towards easy win and other candidates are not active in campaign.
Anowara Begum, a banker residing in Madarbari area of Kotwali constituency, said: “It seems to me that there is no election as there is no such campaign at our locality.”
Four candidates, including Abu Hanif of Workers Party, Nazim Uddin of National Awami Party and Arif Moinuddin of Bangladesh Nationalist Front, are contesting the polls from the constituency.
AL candidate Engineer Mosharraf Hossain was elected unopposed from Chittagong 1 (Mirsharai) constituency, Fazle Karim Chowdhury from Chittagong 6 (Raujan), Dr Hasan Mahmud from Chittagong 7 (Rangunia), Afsarul Amin Chowdhury from Chittagong 10 (Double-mooring and Pahartoli) and Nazrul Islam Chowdhury from Chittagong 14 (Chandanaish) constituency.
Jatiya Party candidate Anisul Islam Mahmud was elected unopposed from Chittagong 5 (Hathazari) and Jatiya Somajtantrik Dal candidate Mainuddin Khan Badal was elected unopposed from Chittagong 8 (Boalkhali-Chandgaon) constituency.
A total of 25 candidates have been contesting the polls at Chittagong 2 (Fatikchhari), Chittagong 3 (Sandwip), Chittagong 4 (Sitakunda), Chittagong 9 (Kotwali), Chittagong 11 (Bandar-Patenga), Chittagong 12 (Patiya), Chittagong 13 (Anwara), Chittagong 15 (Satkania-Lohagara) and Chittagong 16 (Banskhali) constituency.
