Most expelled BNP leaders lost in upazila polls
BNP’s former leaders who were expelled from the party for taking part in the upazila elections did not get much support from the party’s voters and leaders-activists.
As per latest information, these BNP leaders were defeated in most of the 28 upazilas they contested in the first phase polls yesterday. Only seven of them won.
According to the unofficial results, Kurigram district’s Roumari upazila’s current chairman Md Iman Ali was defeated by a huge margin in the election yesterday. He was vice president of upazila BNP.
Two expelled BNP leaders—Sekandar Ali and Tazmin Nahar-- who contested in vice chairman and female vice chairman posts also lost.
Sekandar was a member of upazila BNP while Tazmin was vice president of Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal.
BNP expelled three of them from all posts including primary membership of the party for contesting the polls.
Kurigram district BNP’s joint secretary general Hasibur Rahman told Prothom Alo before the election that there is no question to help those contest the election violating party decision. He warned any members of the party would face disciplinary action if they supported expelled BNP leaders.
Two expelled BNP leaders contested against seven leaders of Awami League in Sunamganj’s Derai and Shalla upazilas. Both of them were defeated. In Shalla upazila, BNP’s expelled leader Ganesh Chandra Sarker was defeated by Awami League’s Abani Mohon Das.
In Derai, upazila BNP’s expelled organising secretary Golap Mia could not even challenge Awami League secretary Prodip Roy. Upazila Jubo League president Ranjan Kumar Roy was the nearest rival of the newly elected chairman Prodip.
The candidates of BNP have lost in Phulpur and Dhobaura upazilas of Mymensingh. BNP’s former general secretary Imran Hasan contested in Phulpur and former vice-president Shamsur Rashid contested in Dhobaura upazila.
Former general secretary of upazila BNP Faizul Kabir Talukder could not win despite contesting against three candidates of Awami League in Indurkani upazila of Pirojpur. The upazila is known as a bastion of BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami. In the first election of the upazila in 2009, Faizul Kabir's brother Ikramul Kabir became the chairman. In 2014 Masood Sayedee, son of Jamaat leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee, became the chairman. BNP and Jamaat boycotted the elections in 2019 and 2024.
In Manikganj’s Harirampur upazila, expelled joint convener of the upazila Jubo Dal Zahidur Rahman lost in chairman post. Tofazzal Hossain and Afroza Rahman, two candidates in vice chairman posts, were defeated in Singair upazila of the district.
Sarwar Hossain lost in chairman post in Ghoraghat upazila of Dinajpur. He was the vice president of upazila BNP.
Upazila BNP’s former vice president Omrah Khan was defeated in Nasirnagar of Brahmanbaria.
In Cumilla’s Meghna upazila, BNP’s expelled president Ramiz Uddin Londoni lost by a narrow margin.
Rauf un Nabi and AKM Nazmul Islam, two expelled leaders of BNP in Faridpur Sadar, were candidates for the post of chairman. Rauf became fourth and Nazmul stood sixth among six candidates.
Voting was held in 139 upazilas in the first phase on Wednesday. A total of 75 BNP leaders contested in the post of chairman and vice chairman defying the party decision. They were expelled from all posts including primary membership of BNP before the polls. Not only did the BNP expel party leaders, the party distributed leaflets urging people to refrain from voting.
BNP’s senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Wednesday afternoon claimed that the people of the country rejected the upazila polls and did not fall prey to Awami League’s cheating.