AL leaders seek votes for sheaf of paddy chanting ‘Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu’ slogan

At least 20 leaders and activists of the Awami League, whose activities have been banned and party leaders have been in hiding for a long time, attended a courtyard meeting of BNP candidate Nadira Akhtar in the Madaripur-1 (Shibchar) constituency and sought votes for the “dhaner shish” sheaf of paddy symbol using the slogan “Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu”.

They attended the meeting to campaign in support of the BNP candidate and delivered speeches in her favour. The incident took place at a courtyard meeting held at Khan Bari in Shibchar municipality on Tuesday evening.

The Awami League leaders claimed that they were supporting the BNP candidate on the instructions of former chief whip Noor-e-Alam Chowdhury Liton.

Such campaigning by Awami League leaders has triggered fresh discussion and debate in local politics.

A section of BNP leaders and activists said Madaripur-1 is an Awami League-dominated constituency. All current and former public representatives of the district belong to the Awami League and are followers of former chief whip Noor-e-Alam Chowdhury Liton. After receiving his green signal, absconding Awami League leaders and activists have been openly attending courtyard meetings and taking part in election campaigning for the BNP candidate.

As a result, BNP leaders and activists believe that candidate Nadira Akhtar has moved ahead in the race compared to her two rival “rebel” candidates.

According to BNP sources, Nadira Akhtar has been holding courtyard meetings with Awami League leaders since Monday. A large-scale courtyard meeting was held at Khan Bari in the municipality on Tuesday evening, where Awami League and BNP leaders were seen sitting together beside the candidate.

The meeting, chaired by senior joint convener of the municipal BNP Hemayet Hossain Khan, was attended by upazila BNP convener Shahadat Hossain Khan, joint convener Zaher Gomosta, member Abu Zafar Chowdhury, municipal BNP member secretary Azmal Khan, and leaders of various associate bodies. The meeting was conducted by upazila BNP member secretary Sohel Rana.

Several Awami League leaders spoke at the meeting in support of the sheaf of paddy candidate. Those present included former Shibchar upazila Awami League president and former municipal mayor Md Awlad Hossain Khan, Kathalbari union Awami League president and former upazila vice-chairman BM Atahar Bepari, Shibchar upazila Jubo League president Ilias Pasha, Charjanajat union parishad chairman Jahangir Hossain Raihan Sarkar, Kathalbari union chairman Mohsin Uddin, Baheratala North union chairman Md Zakir Hossain Haider, Madbarerchar union parishad chairman Fazlu Munshi, Bashkandi union chairman Asaduzzaman Khokon Bayati, Kutubpur union chairman Md Haji Atikur Madbar, a former municipal councillor, and other Awami League leaders and activists at various levels.

Former councillor of Shibchar municipality’s ward no. 1 and Awami League leader Aktar Hossain Khan delivered a three-minute speech at the meeting, beginning with the slogan ‘Joy Bangla’. He pledged to continue working in favour of the BNP’s sheaf of paddy candidate and concluded his speech by saying, ‘Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu’.

BNP candidate Nadira Akhtar said at the meeting, “Our party chairperson, whom we consider the future head of government, has said that Bangladesh comes first. So we say Shibchar comes first. We will move forward united. We must ensure the victory of the BNP through unity. Without unity, we will not be able to fulfil our hopes and aspirations. It does not matter which party someone belongs to, what matters is that we are all human.”

She further said, “In the future, there will be no false cases against anyone in Shibchar. After the election, there will be no unnecessary harassment of you. If we remain united, it will not be difficult to build Shibchar as a modern area. Together, we will build Shibchar.”

When contacted, Shibchar upazila BNP convener Shahadat Hossain Khan told Prothom Alo that the Awami League leaders had come to express support for the BNP candidate, adding that no party had been rehabilitated.

Initially, BNP had nominated Shibchar upazila BNP member Kamal Zaman Mollah as its candidate for Madaripur-1. However, the supporters of Sazzad Hossain Siddiqui raised objection prompting the party to suspend the nomination. The party then eventually nominated district BNP member and Shibchar upazila BNP joint convener Nadira Akhtar.

Recently, the BNP central committee expelled 10 upazila BNP leaders, including two rebel candidates in the constituency, from all party posts.

Meanwhile, after being expelled from the party, the two rebel candidates have also sought support from Awami League leaders. Recently, at a courtyard meeting of independent candidate Kamal Zaman Mollah, who is contesting with the ship symbol, Shibchar Awami League president and former upazila parishad chairman Abdul Latif Mollah and Shibchar municipal Awami League president Tota Khan were seen expressing regret for past actions and admitting their mistakes.