Former President Hamid’s brother-in-law is Jamaat’s candidate, BNP leaves 2 seats open

The BNP has not yet announced candidates for two of Kishoreganj’s six parliamentary constituencies. As a result, at least 16 nomination seekers are actively campaigning in the unofficially open Kishoreganj-1 and Kishoreganj-5 seats.

They are holding regular meetings, rallies, and various programmes in their areas. However, there are discussions that one of these seats may be left for an allied party from the BNP’s simultaneous movement.

Nearly nine months ago, ahead of the upcoming 13th national election, Jamaat-e-Islami announced candidates for all six constituencies in the district. Since then, the party has been active in the field.

The National Citizen Party (NCP) has declared that it is preparing to field candidates in all seats. Leaders from Gono Odhikar Parishad, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, and Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis are also campaigning. Leaders from CPB and Ganasanghati Andolon are considering contesting as well.

In the 1991 fifth parliamentary election, BNP won five of the then seven seats in the district, while Awami League (whose activities are currently banned) won two. In 1996, BNP won two seats and Awami League five. In 2001, BNP won two seats and Awami League five. In 2008, the number of seats was reduced to six—Awami League won five and Jatiya Party one.

BNP has not announced a candidate here yet. Nomination seekers include former district BNP vice president Rezaul Karim Khan (Chunnu), district BNP general secretary Mazharul Islam, and former general secretary Waliullah Rabbani.

Others campaigning are former MP Masud Hilali, former vice-president Ruhul Hossain, Sadar upazila BNP president Khaled Saifullah Sohel, Hossainpur upazila BNP convener Zahirul Islam, and former district BNP member M Atikur Rahman.

Jamaat’s candidate here is Mosaddeq Ali Bhuiyan.

Abu Hanif, a Higher Council member and media coordinator of Gono Odhikar Parishad, is also preparing to contest.

In 1991 and 1996, former BNP leader major (retd) Akhtaruzzaman was elected MP from this seat when it included only Katiadi.

BNP’s candidate this time is Pakundia upazila BNP convener and government prosecutor (PP) Jalal Uddin—a former mayor of Pakundia pourashava. This will be his first parliamentary election.

Party sources say that although no one is openly opposing Jalal Uddin, several nomination hopefuls are active behind the scenes. Jalal claims the entire BNP in the constituency is united behind him.

Jamaat’s candidate is Shafiqul Islam Morol, a member of Katiadi upazila’s executive council. He says he is the youngest candidate and believes the youth—who played a major role in the anti-government movement—will support him.

Former education minister and BNP vice-chairman M Osman Faruk has received the party nomination. He last contested in the 2001 election. Farruk says the previous “autocratic government” forced him into exile by accusing him of crimes against humanity, and he spent about eight years in the US. However, he says, people of his area still love him.

In 2008, former district BNP vice-president Jahangir Alam Molla contested here from BNP. He is again seeking nomination. He argues that the party should nominate someone who did not abandon the people during difficult times.

During the previous government, this seat was represented by former Jatiya Party secretary general Mujibul Haque Chunnu. He is now cornered due to multiple cases filed after 5 August, but there are reports he may run again if the party contests.

Jamaat’s candidate here is colonel (retd) Jehad Khan—the brother-in-law of former President Abdul Hamid. A physician by profession, he says he is receiving overwhelming public support and that people have accepted him in a short time.

BNP has nominated prominent lawyer Md Fazlur Rahman. Another BNP leader seeking nomination, Abdur Rahim Molla, is campaigning for a candidate change. He claims that nominating Fazlur Rahman would strengthen Sheikh Hasina’s “autocratic ideology.”

Fazlur Rahman responds that those opposing him are disconnected from the people and jealous of his popularity.

Jamaat’s candidate is Sheikh Rokon Reza, a shura member of Dhaka north city Jamaat and former central student welfare secretary of Chhatra Shibir. This is his first parliamentary election.

BNP has not yet announced a candidate here and is considering leaving this seat to one of its allied parties.

Nomination seekers include Bajitpur upazila BNP president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Iqbal, former district BNP member GS Mir Jalil, former Bajitpur pourashava mayor Ahsan Kufia, former secretary Md Abdul Wahab, and Nikli upazila BNP president Badrul Momen—at least eight in total.

Among BNP’s allies, two names are being discussed here. Hasnat Kaiyum, chief coordinator of the Rashtra Sanskar Andolon, and Syed Ehsanul Huda, chairman of Bangladesh Jatiya Dal (BJD) and coordinator of the 12-party alliance are the two candidates whose names are heard as BNP-backed candidates in the constituency.

Jamaat’s district amir Ramzan Ali has been campaigning as the party’s candidate. He says people’s views on Jamaat have changed after the fall of the “autocratic Hasina government,” and public engagement has increased.

BNP has nominated its central organising secretary and district BNP president Md Shariful Alam. This will be his fifth parliamentary election.
Shariful Alam says he expects BNP candidates to win all six seats in the district with large margins.

Jamaat’s candidate here is Kabir Hossain, amir of Bhairab upazila Jamaat. He is contesting for the first time.