Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Liberal Democratic Party have jointly been fighting with Jamaat-e-Islami – a partner of the 19-party alliance – in the upazila parishad election of Satkania known for Jamaat stronghold.
The election is scheduled to be held tomorrow.
Jamaat candidates have also been contesting polls in two other upazilas under the district where there are BNP candidates with relatively strong position.
Oli Ahmed, president of the Liberal Democratic Party, in a recent visit to Satkania, introduced the BNP-backed chairman candidate Sheikh Mohammed Mohiuddin and vice-chairman candidate Jasim Uddin as his candidates.
Local sources said Oli’s electioneering could sway voters to cast vote for his candidates who might win over Jamaat’s.
The ruling Awami League-backed candidate might cash in on such situation, added the locals.
Oli was elected as lawmaker from Satkania constituency in 1996, but was defeated by Jamaat candidate Shahjahan Chowdhury in the general election of 2001.
Oli, the then standing committee member of BNP, contested the poll against Jamaat candidate, defying the request of the party high-up to sacrifice the constituency to their alliance partner.
The defying cost Oli his association with the BNP, said sources.
A district (south) unit leader of Jamaat, preferring anonymity, said the local BNP was engaged in an effort to push Jamaat into inconvenience at Satkania as many of its leaders and activists were on the run and in jail.
Mohammed Ishaque, acting president of district (south) unit Jamaat, however, said Jamaat men as well as common people at Satkania had been oppressed by the government in recent period.
He added that the voters would think twice prior to casting their votes for the candidates.
“We have always supported a candidate who can guide the oppressed people of Satkania,” he said.
Mujibur Rahman, president of the upazila unit BNP, said Satkania was not a stronghold of Jamaat, rather it was the stronghold of BNP.
He added that they had been fighting with the Jamaat in the upazila election as it was the right time to prove the might of BNP at the locality.
“The common people are annoyed with the recent destructive activities of Jamaat and they would not vote for the Jamaat candidate,” he said, adding that they were confident over the victory of their party candidate.
Awami League-backed Nurul Absar Chowdhury also expressed confidence in winning the poll.
He said his party candidate won the chairman post in the upazila earlier and this time it would be much easier.
Meanwhile, Jamaat candidates have been contesting the posts of chairman in Banshkhali and Fatikchari upazilas where there are BNP-backed candidates with relatively strong position.
“We did not contest the post of chairman in any upazila, except Sitakund, where BNP has a strong base,” Rabiul Hossain, assistant general secretary of district (north) unit Jamaat said, adding that the BNP candidate lost in Sitund upazila for not negotiating with Jamaat.
He also said it would have been better for both BNP and Jamaat if the two parties could reach an understanding and take part in the election of seven upazilas in Chittagong scheduled for tomorrow.
