Chattogram North: Conflict visible in both parties

As the election draws closer, conflict intensifies within Chattogram North district Awami League over various constituencies. The main cause of conflict is over party nomination. This conflict is clearly visible in four out of the seven seats in the north. There is likely to be a tussle with allies in Hathazari and Fatikchhari. Only in one seat there is no conflict.

Similarly, alongside its ongoing movement, conflict within BNP is worsening too, over nomination to seats in the north. Several factions have emerged within BNP. One faction is not accepting the leadership of the other. And the conflict behind the scenes over nomination is gradually coming out into the open. However, the party leaders publicly maintain that they are now busy with the movement. Their only aim is the fall of the government.

Awami League presidium member Mosharraf Hossain is the member of parliament of the Chattogram-1 (Mirsharai) seat. Rifts within the party are worsening here. However, for the past two years Mosharraf Hossain has been saying he will no longer contest in the election. Even at the peace and development rally held on Friday at Barairhat, Mirsharai, he spoke of giving opportunity to the new.

There is a long standing conflict there, however, between the former upazila chairman Gias Uddin and Mosharraf Hossain. Joining the tussle is central Jubo League member Niaz Murshed. After gaining Jubo League membership, he is now trying to create a position for himself in Mirsharai. On 17 July this year, an attack was launched on his convoy of cars in Moghadia of the upazila.

The incumbent member of parliament in Chattagrom-2 (Fatikchhari) is Tarikat Federation's Najibul Bashar Maizbhandari. The president chairman of the zila parishad, ATM Pearul Islam, has his eye on this seat. Khadijatul Anwar, the daughter of the late member of parliament of Fatikchhari, Rafiqul Anwar, also has aspirations for nomination to this seat. The elderly Pearul Islam has a strong base here too. There had been a conflict between Rafiqul Anwar and Pearul Islam in the past over nomination in this constituency.

Pearul Islam, speaking to Prothom Alo, said, "Everyone wants to have a candidate from the party in the Fatikchhari seat. But everyone stands united for the 'boat'. We are resolving the long-standing differences over there."

Member of parliament of the Chattagram-3 (Sandwip) seat Mahfuzur Rahman has good relations with local Awami League president Alauddin Bedon and general secretary Mainuddin Mission. But there is a long-standing rift between the former mayor Zafrullah Tito and Mahfuzur Rahman. And now joining this conflict is Maitbhanga union chairman, North district Jubo League vice president Mizanur Rahman. The conflict over nominations is gradually increasing here.

Conflict over nomination has sprung up in the Chattogram-4 (Sitakunda) seat too. From beforehand there has been a power struggle in the area between upazila Awami League president Abdul Baker Bhuiyan and general secretary, upazila chairman SM Al Mamun. Both of them are aspiring for nomination this time. The present member of parliament Didarul Alam is trying to create an independent stance. The divisions here are basically among these three.

The Jatiya Party candidate for the Chattogram-5 (Hathazari) from 2008 has been the member of parliament Anisul Islam Mahmud. North district Awami League president MA Salam has been seeking candidacy for this seat since then. He was later made the zila parishad chairman. He will seek nomination this time too. Executive member of the same committee, Yunus Gani Chowdhury, has the same expectations. He has already begun denouncing MA Salam in public.

MA Salam, speaking to Prothom Alo, said, "If the candidate for Hathazari is not from Awami League this time, we will set up a blockade. It doesn't matter who Awami League nominates, we are all united."

No one can oppose the member of parliament of Chattogram-6 (Raozan), ABM Fazle Karim Chowdhury. It is alleged that those known to be opposed to him -- upazila Awami League's former general secretary Muslim Khan, North district joint secretary Debashish Palit and Abul Kalam Azad, cannot even enter the area.

Raozan pourashava former mayor Debashish Palit says, politics runs on the will on a sole individual here. There is no freedom of speech. That is why many senior leaders are unable to carry out organisational activities.

In the Chattogram-7 (Rangunia) seat there is no conflict between information minister Hasan Mahmud and the upazila Awami League and the party's affiliated organisations there. There is no visible opponent to Hasan Mahmud here at present. Upazila AL president Sirajul Islam says that everyone is united under the leadership of the parliament member.

Chattogram North district BNP has long been embroiled in conflict and that is why no one has even been made member secretary of the committee. The convening committee has not been able to form a committee in three years, let alone three months. The leaders and activists are divided onto four factions. North Chattogram district use to be known as a bastion of BNP, but now other than in one or two of the seven upazilas there, party activities are hardly visible.

With the national election looming large, the divisions over nomination have grown further. In face of opposition from a section of the party men, on 23 December 2020 a 43-member North district BNP convening committee was formed with the chairperson's advisor Golam Akbar Khandakar as convener. The committee failed to resolve the conflicts. In fact, the conflicts have been exacerbated. In the latest effort to resolve these differences, instructions were issued from the centre for the newly formed convening committee to consult with Chattogram divisional organising secretary Mahbubur Rahman and carry on party work accordingly. But nothing has resulted from this effort.

The various followers of North district BNP's joint secretary general Aslam Chowdhury, vice chairman Gias Uddin Quader Chowdhury and his nephew Hummam Quader Chowdhury, vice chairman Mir Nasir Uddin and his son central executive committee member Mir Helal, the chairperson's advisor and North district BNP convener Golam Akbar Khandakar, late MP Syed Wahidul Alam's daughter Shakila Farzana, are divided up into separate factions and carrying our party programmes separately.

Chairperson's advisor SM Fazlul Huq and executive committee member Hummam Quader Chowdhury were present at the party office in Nasimon Bhaban at the 3 October road march preparatory meeting. But their followers were irate at no mention of the names of these two leaders on the banners. At one point, they even tore down the banners there.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, North district BNP convener Golam Akbar Khandakar said that it had not been possible to form a full-fledged committee due to the cases and attacks against the party leaders and activists as well as the overall political situation. There is no conflict in the party. Everyone is united in the movement to topple the government.

Three BNP leaders are in the fray for nomination to the Chattogram-1 (Mirsharai) seat. They are North district joint convener Nurul Amin (chairman) who was nominated last time, upazila BNP convener Shahidul Islam Chowdhury and another joint convener, also named Nurul Amin.

Four names from BNP are being heard more in the Chattogram-2 (Fatikchhari) seat. There are Hummam Quader Chowdhury, former justice Faisal Mahmud Fayezi, former army officer Azim Ullah Bahar and upazila BNP former convener Sarwar Alamgir. All four have separates factions.

In the Chattogram-3 (Sandwip_ seat, the nomination aspirants are former MP Mustafa Kamal Pasha and US expatriate Mustafa Kamal Pasha.

The sole aspiring candidate for the Chattogram-4 (Sitakunda) seat is the incarcerated joint secretary general of BNP, Aslam Chowdhury. Leaders and activists at almost all levels in the party have confidence in him. However, at an upazila level, there is conflict between district BNP member Zahurul Alam and district BNP joint convener Kazi Salahuddin.

Aspiring nomination for the Chattogram-5 Hathazari seat are BNP executive committee member Mir Helal Uddin, chairperson's advisor SM Fazlul Huq, and daughter of the later MP Syed Wahidul Alam Chowdhury, Shakila Farzana. They have separate camps. If one of them is nominated, the others may oppose.

The names being heard for the Chattogram-6 (Raozan) seat are Gias Uddin Quader Chowdhury and his son Samir Quader Chowdhury, convener Golam Akbar Khandakar, Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury's wife Farhat Quader Chowdhury and his son Hummam Quader Chowdhury.

Aspirant candidates for the Chattogram-7 (Rangunia) seat are Hummam Quader Chowdhury and his mother Farhat Quader Chowdhury. Humman told Prothom Alo, he and his mother will seek nomination in Raozan, Rangunia and Fatikchhari. They will contest from which ever constituency the party gives them.

BNP Chattogram division organising secretary Mahbubur Rahman said, "We are not thinking about election nominations now. Our singular aim now is to overthrow the government."