AL leaders dominate, BNP organised but under pressure

Before the 2014 election, all four of Lakshmipur's parliamentary seats were in BNP's control. The party leaders and activists would consider this BNP's stronghold. Then in 2014, all four of these seats slipped away from BNP. Since then, Awami League dominates the district politics there.

In 2015, Miah Golam Faruk was made the district Awami League president and Nuruddin Chowdhury the general secretary. A section of the leaders and activists alleged that since these two took over these top posts, they have sidelined the leaders and activists who have sacrificed a lot for the party. They placed persons of their choice in various posts of the party and the associated organisations.

As for BNP, even two years ago, disunity among the leaders and activists had been an impediment to the party's politics. But over the past two years, the party leaders and activists have been carrying our programmes together. However, the leaders are burdened with lawsuits. In the latest development on 10 September, the court has issued arrest warrants in two cases filed by the police against BNP publicity secretary and district convener Shahid Uddin Chowdhury, advisor to the chairperson Abul Khair Bhuiyan, and district member secretary Shahabuddin.

District Awami League general secretary Nuruddin Chowdhury first became member of parliament in the 21 June 2021 by-elections to the Lakshmipur-2 seat. President Golam Faruk was nominated for the Lakshmipur-3 seat (Sadar) in 11th parliament election. Later his name was dropped and the member of parliament of that seat at the time, AKM Shahjahan Kamal, was nominated. Shahjahan Kamal passed away on Friday while undergoing treatment.

While there is no visible conflict between the two top leaders of the district Awami League, there are clearly differences regarding forming the committee and various other activities. Recently a number of the leaders complained to the centre against district Swecchashebok League president Belayet Hossain and general secretary Mahbub Imtiaz, accusing them of taking money in exchange of forming the committee and other irregularities. Golam Faruk openly took the side of the leaders who brought about the accusations, while Nuruddin sided with the accused.

Humayun Kabir is in charge of Lakshmipur Sadar upazila and is the maternal uncle of Nuruddin Chowdhury. The Raipur upazila Awami League president Mamunur Rashid is Nuruddin Chowdhury's brother-in-law. His family members and relatives are in many position of the party. A section of the leaders and workers allege that Nuruddin Chowdhury favours his own relatives rather than those who have made sacrifices for the party.

Rejecting such allegations, Nuruddin Chowdhury said he upholds the party's ideals in his politics. He said that the allegations about trading posts for money were not true. His relatives secured their positions on their own merit.

Two decades ago, Awami League politics in the district revolved around the late Abu Taher, who had been the pourashava mayor twice. After Miah Golam Faruk and Nuruddin Chowdhury took over the reins, Abu Taher was sidelined. His name was not forwarded as mayoral candidate in the last pourashava polls. His son, former convener of district Jubo League AKM Salahuddin, was not given party nomination for the post of upazila parishad chairman and so became an independent candidate for the position. He too has been sidelined.

Syed Mozammel Huq alias Milan had been joint secretary general of the district committee for 18 years. He said that in the 22 November district Awami League council he had been the candidate for the post of general secretary. The council retained the existing committee president and general secretary. They dropped the names of many tried and test leaders and send the list of proposed names to the centre. He alleges that there was trading for the posts in the committee.

Former sports affair secretary of the district committee and former UP chairman of Sadar upazila's Duttapara, Ahsanul Kabir, said, "Lakshmipur AL is no longer about politics, it is all about buying and selling posts. Whoever has money is in Awami League, whoever doesn't have money is not needed by the party. During the UP election I was asked to pay money too. I couldn't pay and so my name was dropped from the list."

When asked about the matter, district Awami League president Golam Faruk, told Prothom Alo that a few leaders who weren't given posts were now lying. The party was now much more united that before.

For long BNP men in the district were divided into three camps. Controlling these three camps were Abul Khair Bhuiyan, Shahid Uddin Chowdhury and Shahabuddin (Sabu). In 2017 the party's two former MPs, Abul Khair Bhuiyan and Shahid Uddin Chowdhury, united. The district committee was announced in 2021 with Shahid Uddin Chowdhury as convener and Abul Khair Bhuiyan as member secretary. Now the three groups are carrying out programme jointly. Differences at the upazila level committees have eased too, though rifts remain in Ramganj upazila, according to party men.

Party sources say, while the party programmes have gained a little momentum, the leaders and activists are burdened by lawsuits. A three-way clash has taken place in Lakshmipur where Krishak Dal activist Sajeeb Hossain was killed. Four separate cases were filed in this regard with the Lakshmipur Sadar model police station. Over 3000 leaders and activists were accused in this case, with Shahid Uddin Chowdhury as the main accused.

Joint convener of district BNP Hasibur Rahman said, there are over 300 cases against BNP men, with 10,000 leaders and activists of the party accused in these cases. Many leaders are in jail, many have left the area. Many remain here, but are in fear of arrest.

Shahid Uddin Chowdhury said, "Our main aim is to ensure elections under a non-partisan neutral caretaker government. If this is ensured, then BNP will clinch all the seats in Lakshmipur as before."

In the last parliamentary election, Mohammad Shahid Islam alias Papul won the Lakshmipur-2 (part of Raipur and Lakshmipur Sadar) seat as an independent candidate. As he was sentenced in Kuwait on charges of human trafficking, in 2021 his seat fell vacant. Papul is present in jail in Kuwait. His wife Selina Islam is a member of parliament in the reserved seats.

Secretary general of Tarikat Federation at the time, MA Awal, was nominated from the Awami League-led 14 party alliance and became MP of the Lakshmipur-1 (Ramganj) seat. Before the 11th parliamentary election he was removed from the post. He formed a new political party, Islami Gonotantrik Party and is its chairman. He is also the chairman of an alliance, 'Progotoshil Islami Jote. He was accused in the murder of a certain Shahinuddin (33) in Mirpur, Dhaka, on 16 May 2021. He has been arrested in this incident.