AL candidate Ruhal presented boat of gold

Former health minister AFM Ruhal Haque, an Awami League candidate from the Satkhira-3 constituency, was presented a boat made of gold by the activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), student wing of the ruling AL on Wednesday night.

The ruling party men also presented Ruhal a lapel pin of gold and vowed that they will ensure his opposition candidate, BNP-backed Md Shahidul Alam, a cardiac specialist by profession, does not get more than 10 votes at any centre.

The Satkhira-3 constituency consists of Ashashuni, Debhata and a part of Kaliganj. When followers of Ruhal were carrying out campaigns in his constituencies, there was no sign of any activity of Shahidul.

"99 per cent of the election is finished and only one per cent is left," Shahidul Alam told Prothom Alo.

Ruhal Haque organised a electioneering rally at the playground of Ahsania Mission Residential College on Wednesday afternoon. Voters were brought to the venue in buses while many activists came on motorcycles.

On the other hand, Shahidul Alam cannot even think of going to people and seek vote. He has only one election camp, which is made at his home.

And no activist was seen there on Tuesday night and the whole day on Wednesday. Only a few chairs were there.

On Wednesday night, this correspondent went to the camp and found four activists in a room that had the door closed. Neither of them wanted to disclose their identities. They said they were working on the list of voters and polling agents.

One of them said over 100 BNP leaders and activists had been arrested since 10 December. Three of their election camps were vandalised.

Shahidul Alam remains silent. Nobody wants to accompany him anywhere, fearing arrest.

An Awami League supporter on Thursday morning said they were going to the residences of BNP and Jamaat to tell them not to go to the centre if they do not cast their votes for 'boat'.

No poster of 'sheaf of paddy' was seen in Nalta, Tarali and Uzirpur areas, let alone an election camp.

Both Ruhal and Shahidul are from Nalta union, but the former usually gets fewer votes in his (Ruhal) own union.

The issue came up during the meeting. "We will bounce back this time around. All votes will be casted for boat,” a local AL leader expressed his determination.

This report, originally published in Prothom Alo print edition, has been rewritten in English by Quamrul Hassan.