Various political parties have announced candidates and begun door-to-door campaigning in Lalmonirhat’s three parliamentary constituencies.
Although the BNP has refrained from nominating a candidate in one seat due to internal dissatisfaction over nominations, it has announced candidates in two constituencies.
Jamaat-e-Islami, on the other hand, announced candidates early in all three seats and began campaigning, though it recently replaced its candidate in one constituency.
The newly formed political party, the National Citizen Party (NCP), has finalised candidates in two seats.
Islami Andolan Bangladesh and Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish have announced candidates in every constituency and are organising their campaigns in their own ways.
The Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), Ganosamhati Andolon, and Jontar Dal are preparing to contest in one seat each, though overall their activities remain limited.
Lalmonirhat was once considered a stronghold of the Jatiya Party, which at one time held all the seats in the district. JaPa Chairman GM Quader was elected Member of Parliament multiple times from the Lalmonirhat-3 constituency.
Following the political changes after 5 August last year, the district JaPa office was attacked and vandalised, and cases were filed against top district leaders.
Under such circumstances, the party’s activities in the district were almost nonexistent. However, since the announcement of the election schedule, party leaders have again become active.
Mohammad Zahid Hasan, general secretary of the district JaPa and adviser to the party chairman, told Prothom Alo Tuesday that the party has nominated him for Lalmonirhat-3, Masiur Rahman (Ranga) for Lalmonirhat-1, and adviser to the party chairman Elahan Uddin for Lalmonirhat-2. Masidur Rahman also confirmed the information.
Lalmonirhat-1 (Hatibandha–Patgram)
BNP has never won this border constituency except in the 1979 election. JP won in 1991 and 1996, and from 2001 onward the Awami League has won consecutively. In the 2008 election, the Jamaat candidate secured over 74,000 votes to finish second.
This time, BNP has nominated Hasan Rajib Pradhan, a member of its National Executive Committee. Jamaat will contest the seat for the first time with Anwarul Islam, a member of the Majlish-e-Shura of Dhaka North.
Hasan Rajib Pradhan said, “We are receiving an overwhelming response from voters during the campaign. Insha’Allah, I will win with the highest number of votes.”
Jamaat candidate Anwarul Islam said, “We are getting a very positive response from people everywhere, both in towns and rural areas. I am optimistic about victory.”
The NCP has not yet nominated anyone in this constituency. Mufti Abul Kashem of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish, Fazlul Karim of Islami Andolan Bangladesh, and Mohammad Abu Raiyan of the AB Party are preparing to contest with party nominations.
Lalmonirhat-2 (Aditmari–Kaliganj)
After independence, Karim Uddin Ahmed was elected MP from this seat in the 1973 election. In 1979, Mojibur Rahman was elected as a BNP candidate.
He later switched parties and, as a JaPa candidate, won every election from 1986 to 2008. In 2014, Karim Uddin’s son, former Social Welfare Minister Nuruzzaman Ahmed, won uncontested and subsequently won all following elections.
BNP has not announced a candidate for this seat. Jamaat has nominated district secretary Firoz Haider (Lablu). In addition, Jonotar Dal chief Brigadier General (retd) Shamim Kamal has announced his candidacy and is campaigning in the area.
Local BNP sources say that several leaders are seeking the party nomination for this seat, including district BNP vice-president Md Rokon Uddin and Kaliganj upazila BNP convener Md Jahangir Alam.
The NCP has nominated its northern region central organiser Russell Ahmed for this constituency. Ganosamhati Andolon central committee member Dipak Kumar Roy, Islami Andolan candidate Mufti Mahfuzur Rahman, and Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish candidate Mufti Abdul Hannan are also campaigning.
Lalmonirhat-3 (Sadar)
In this key constituency, since 1991 BNP has won once, the Awami League twice, and JaPa candidates four times. This time, BNP has nominated Asadul Habib (Dulu), its Rangpur divisional organising secretary and Lalmonirhat district president.
He has already gained wide recognition through the “Alokito Lalmonirhat” and “Jago Bahe Teesta Bachai” movements and also serves as the chief coordinator of the Teesta River Protection Committee.
Asadul Habib told Prothom Alo, “When I previously served as an MP and state minister, I worked to the best of my ability for the development of Lalmonirhat. This time, Insha’Allah, I will be elected with a large majority to complete my unfinished work.”
Jamaat initially nominated former president of Rangpur city Islami Chhatra Shibir, Md Harun Or Rashid, for this seat, but later replaced him with district Jamaat ameer Md Abu Taher.
He has already begun campaigning and will be contesting a parliamentary election for the first time.
Abu Taher said that due to qualitative changes in politics and the post–July mass uprising reality, Jamaat’s public support has increased in this constituency.
He expressed 100 per cent confidence of victory if the election is free and fair.
In addition, NCP district convener Md Rakibul Hasan, AB Party Dhaka city vice-president Firoz Kabir, Khelafat Majlish’s Maulana Ismail Hossain, Islami Andolan’s Moksedul Islam, and CPB district committee general secretary Madhusudan Roy have all launched their election activities and are campaigning.