AL to replicate Khulna model in Gazipur

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Ruling Awami League is eager to repeat the same strategy of Khulna polls in all upcoming civic elections including in Gazipur, ahead of general election.

AL is using their triumph in the Khulna City Corporation (KCC) polls to keep the party ‘active’ and to display their popularity to the international arena.

The ruling party believes the victory of its candidate Talukdar Abdul Khalek in the Khulna is already working as ‘tonic’ for the party.

In 2013, before the last general election, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) won five city polls including in Khulna and Gazipur and proved their popularity to international quarters.

AL is determined not to give this opportunity to BNP this time.

Accordingly, AL will focus on party unity in the electoral areas. Secondly, they will make the best use of their administrative advantage as they did in the KCC polls.

AL leaders are confident that BNP will not be able to weaken AL’s present dominance in the country’s politics. AL’s control on different government bodies will also remain intact. As a result, it will be able to continue on its winning spree.

Awami League has taken Khulna as a ‘model’ to formulate and implement strategies for its organisational activities and campaigning.

However, Gazipur City Corporation election is scheduled for 26 June. City polls in Rajshahi, Sylhet and Barisal are likely to be held in July.

AL aspirant of Gazipur city polls, Jahangir Alam said, victory in KCC polls has been a boost for him. Gazipur has long been a stronghold of Awami League, he said.

“A portion of the party was not that active earlier. After KCC polls they realised the change and started to take part in electioneering in full swing,” he said.

AL leaders said, the party was united in KCC and so BNP had to back off when they were pressurised by the administration. Eventually, this helped AL to win the election.

AL has taken similar measures to unite the party in Gazipur. Eight groups headed by central leaders have been formed to resolve differences among the local leaders.

Besides, a decision has been taken to hold informal meetings with influential party leaders including ministers and MPs before starting official campaign on 18 June.

According to an influential AL leader, BNP has failed to show their strength in Khulna. On the other hand, AL gained certain additional advantages as the ruling party. Consequently, BNP became confused in Gazipur.

“All we have to do is to spread propaganda that BNP cannot win the election. It cannot carry out any development work even if it wins. So a vote for BNP means a vote wasted,” the AL leader added.  

BNP not ‘optimistic’

Top policy makers of BNP said, BNP could not recover from the Khulna defeat as yet. Their assumption that AL would not be that active in city polls before general election proved to be wrong. The ruling party managed to intimidate the voters, use the administration against the opposition and to control the media successfully.

Earlier, Gazipur and Khulna polls were scheduled on the same day. AL used legal loopholes to suspend the Gazipur election as a strategy to clinch victory.

BNP believes, Gazipur election will be the same as Khulna.

BNP standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy told Prothom Alo, “Awami League has the police and the administration on their side. So what can be expected in Gazipur?”

“People can see what is going on in the name of elections. Winning city elections in such a way does not prove AL’s popularity among people,” he said.

Awami League’s strength is ‘unity’

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina during the cabinet meeting on Monday said, “We have to work unitedly in Gazipur polls like Khulna.”

Addressing the minister for liberation war affairs Mozammel Hoque and the state minister for women and children affairs Meher Afroz, the prime minister cautioned, “I don’t want any trouble in Gazipur. Everyone should remember that the ‘boat’ is our party symbol.”

Ruling party insiders said, internal clashes in AL had increased before the postponement of the Gazipur election. Party candidate Jahangir Alam was campaigning on his own. The other leaders of the party were not behind Jahangir.

It was thus a relief to AL policy makers when the election was postponed. And now the victory in Khulna has taken the Gazipur polls to a new level.

AL policy makers said, the party has made some changes in the campaigning and organisational strategy for the Gazipur elections. The Election Commission (EC) has prohibited campaigning before 18 June. And according to the Code of Conduct, ministers and MPs cannot participate in the campaign.

To overcome these obstacles, the party leaders have decided to arrange informal meetings to discuss the strategy of the election and to unite the party by 18 June.

AL presidium member Faruk Khan said, BNP failed in Khulna by demanding bail of their chairperson Khaleda Zia and spreading propaganda against the government.

“There is no way BNP can win in Gazipur, because the people will only vote for development. To achieve that we have to remain united and work accordingly,” he said.

*This report, originally published in Prothom Alo print edition, has been rewritten in English by Farjana Liakat.