Election campaign in full swing at Narsingdi

Political tensions are on a rise in Narsingdi ahead of the 13th national parliamentary election. Prospective candidates seeking nominations from various parties are actively campaigning with their workers and supporters. Every day they are visiting different unions and villages within their constituencies. The candidates claim they are receiving “an overwhelming response” from the public during these outreach efforts.

Among the district’s five constituencies, BNP has announced party nominees in four. In one of these constituencies (Narsingdi-5), dissatisfaction within the party over the nomination has surfaced publicly. There is also talk that the seat left vacant may be allocated to an allied party.

Jamaat-e-Islami has announced candidates in all five constituencies and has been campaigning actively. The Islamic Movement of Bangladesh and Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis are also campaigning with their party nominees. Most recently, on Wednesday (10 December), National Citizen Party (NCP) announced party candidates in four constituencies of the district. In one constituency, the candidate of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) is active.

In 1991, BNP won all five constituencies in the district. In 1996, they won three, and in 2001, four constituencies. In 2008, candidates of Awami League won all five seats.

Since 1991, the constituency has long been represented in parliament by BNP’s Samsuddin Ahmed Eshak. After his death in 2005, Khairul Kabir Khokon was elected MP in a by-election on the BNP nomination. This time, Khairul Kabir Khokon, the BNP joint secretary general, has again received the party nomination. He also serves as the district BNP president.

Khairul Kabir Khokon told Prothom Alo, “When we go to the people, they come up to us and say that for so long they could not vote for the candidate of their choice. This time, we will be able to vote for you. That shows that the public has not forgotten our long-standing struggle against dictatorship and fascism.”

Jamaat’s candidate in this constituency is Md Ibrahim Bhuiyan, a member of the district Jamaat working council. He said, “If my party comes to power, corruption and extortion will come to an end in the country. I am receiving an unprecedented response from the people.”

NCP has fielded its central joint chief coordinator Abdullah Al Faisal in this constituency. He said, “We are holding courtyard meetings while touring different areas, with hundreds of people attending. The response is very encouraging. People want to see new faces in politics.”
Islamic Andolan's here is district unit advisor Shawkat Hossain Sarkar, and the Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis candidate is Mahmudul Haq Bhuiyan, vice president of the district unit.

Abdul Moyeen Khan, member of BNP’s standing committee, has received the party nomination for Narsingdi-2. Besides this former minister, no one else had sought the BNP nomination here.

Jamaat-e-Islami’s candidate in this constituency is district secretary Md Amjad Hossain. He said, “Even before formally entering the field as a candidate, I had built a strong connection with the people of Palash.” However, he alleged that workers of a major party were threatening his supporters.

NCP has nominated its joint convener and district committee convener Sarwar Tushar here. He said, “The people of Palash have widely accepted me in a short time. They want to see my success. But we are constantly facing threats. BNP leaders and workers are issuing these threats.”

Bahuddin Bhuiyan, senior joint general secretary of Palash Upazila BNP, claimed that these allegations by the two candidates are not true. He said that no BNP member is threatening any candidate or their supporters, and accusations of not allowing anyone to put up posters are also false.

Other candidates campaigning in this constituency include Muhsin Ahmed of the Islamic Andolan, Faruk Bhuiyan of Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis, and Md Ashraf Hossain (Shahin) of Khilafat Majlis.

BNP has not yet announced any candidate in this constituency. There is discussion that BNP may leave the seat for an allied party of the simultaneous movement. Jaglul Haidar (Afrik), a member of the general council of Gono Forum, is campaigning here.

Meanwhile, four BNP aspirants remain active in the field. They are: District BNP General Secretary Monzur Elahi, District BNP Vice President Tofazzal Hossain, Upazila BNP President Abul Haris Rikabdar, and BNP National Executive Committee member Akramul Islam (Mintu). They have split into two groups, holding meetings and campaigning separately. On one side are Monzur Elahi and Tofazzal Hossain, and on the other side are Abul Haris Rikabdar and Akramul Islam. Monzur Elahi had received the party nomination in the 2018 election.

Many people in Shibpur still respect the influence of the late BNP secretary general Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan. Arif Ul Islam Mridha, Secretary of the Council, is reportedly planning to contest as an independent candidate. He said, “We want Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan’s expulsion order to be revoked posthumously. If this is not done soon, we will enter the election field.”
From 1991 to 2006, the parliamentary seat was held by BNP’s former secretary general Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan. He was expelled from the party in 2011 as a reformist and passed away in 2010.

Jamaat’s candidate here is Md Mostafizur Rahman Kawser, Amir of Shibpur Upazila Branch. The Islamic Movement’s candidate Waiz Hossain Bhuiyan and Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis’ Rakibul Islam are also campaigning in the constituency.

Sardar Sakhawat Hossain (Bakul), vice president of Narsingdi district BNP and president of Monohardi upazila unit, has received the party nomination for this constituency. He had previously won here as the party candidate in 1991 and 2001. Other aspirants for the party nomination were BNP’s central secretary for liberation war affairs Zainul Abedin and joint secretary for volunteer affairs Abdul Qadir Bhuiyan. After the party announced its candidate, they did not continue campaigning.

Sardar Sakhawat Hossain said, “Ahead of the election, we are visiting the general public at all levels every day, and the level of cooperation and positive response we are receiving is very encouraging.”

Sajjad Zahir Chandan, president of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), is contesting from this constituency. He said, “We are receiving a good response. Belabo was once a stronghold of leftists. If the vote goes well, I am optimistic.”

Jamaat’s candidate here is district branch assistant secretary Md Jahangir Alam. In addition, Saifullah Pradhan, president of Monohardi thana of the Islami Andolan of Bangladesh, Nasir Al Faridi, vice president of Monohardi upazila unit of Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis, are campaigning. NCP has fielded Md Mamunur Rahman (Jahangir), joint convener of the district committee, as its candidate.

BNP has nominated Ashraf Uddin (Bakul), joint secretary for science and technology, for Narsingdi-5. He is conducting outreach from the city to remote areas with party workers. Ashraf Uddin said he is receiving even more response than expected from local voters. Since 1991, BNP has not won this constituency. He hopes to reclaim the seat and gift it to the BNP.

Aspirants for the nomination included district BNP vice president Jamal Ahmed Chowdhury, organizational secretary Rafiqul Amin Bhuiyan, local government affairs secretary Jahangir Alam, district Jubo Dal president Mohsin Hossain, former central Chhatra Dal general secretary Iqbal Hossain, district BNP legal affairs secretary Nazrul Islam, and former joint general secretary of Dhaka City South BNP Ali Rezaur Rahman. These seven jointly carried out various programs like road blockades and torch rallies demanding a change in the nomination.

Jamal Ahmed Chowdhury said, “Until the party gives the nomination to anyone in writing, we seven aspirants are together in our demand for a change.”

Many voters consider Badruzzaman, cultural secretary of the Jatiya Ulema Mashayekh Aymma Parishad of the Islami Andolan, as a major contender in this constituency. If an electoral understanding is reached, Jamaat may leave the seat for the Islami Andolan. Jamaat’s candidate, Md Jahangir Alam of Raipura Thana branch, is campaigning here. NCP’s nominee is district committee joint secretary Nazmul Haq Sikder, and Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis’ candidate is district vice president Tajul Islam.