BNP, Jamaat in spotlight, NCP also active in Cumilla

Just over a year ago, the Bangladesh Awami League (AL) was the dominant force in Cumilla’s politics. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) was cornered there by the then ruling party, while Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami resorted to political activities secretly. However, following the fall of the AL government on 5 August last year, most of the Awami League leaders and activists are now in hiding.

In such a context, nominated candidates from different parties, including the BNP and Jamaat, have launched their electoral campaign in each constituency of the district. They are taking part in various sorts of programmes every day.  Even the remote areas of the districts are now covered in banners, festoons and posters of the candidates.

Cumilla, one of the country’s largest districts with 17 upazilas and 18 thanas, has 11 parliamentary seats. Five of these seats are in the northern part of the district. Most political parties conduct their activities in this area under the organisational district of Cumilla north.

Although the National Citizen Party (NCP) has not formally announced a candidate, one of the party’s top leaders, Hasnat Abdullah, is active in the Cumilla-4 constituency. The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has a strong presence in one constituency of the district. While leftist parties are not very active, several Islamist party leaders are working at the field level. The Jatiya Party (JaPa) has almost no activity in the district. Despite the presence of many parties, the main focus of discussion remains on the BNP and Jamaat.

Although the BNP recently released a list of potential candidates, Jamaat-e-Islami in Cumilla had completed its candidate selection process at least eight days earlier. With the selection finalised, the candidates are now busy with public outreach, while Jamaat’s grassroots leaders and activists are actively reaching out to people. Meanwhile, the party has also finalised the polling centre committees for each constituency.

For the Cumilla-1 constituency, the BNP has placed its trust in Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, a member of the party’s standing committee. A four-time MP and former minister, Mosharraf Hossain is expected to help the BNP reclaim the constituency in the upcoming election. The last time he won here as the BNP candidate was in 2001.

Local leaders and activists say that the senior BNP leader, due to health issues and age, is unable to spend regular time in the area. However, his son, Khandaker Maruf Hossain, a member of the BNP’s national executive committee, is handling the local political responsibilities on his behalf.

On this, Khandaker Maruf Hossain told Prothom Alo, “There is no grouping within the BNP in our constituency; everyone is united behind the party’s candidate. The party’s trust in Khondokar Mosharraf Hossain has pleased leaders, activists, and the general public alike.”

Jamaat-e-Islami has nominated Moniruzzaman Bahlul, ameer of its Daudkandi upazila branch, as its candidate for the constituency. He is currently very active at the field level, attending regular party programmes and reaching out to people to boost votes. Candidates from other parties, including Ashraful Alam of Islami Andolan Bangladesh, are also active at the field level.

BNP has yet to announce a candidate for the Cumilla-2 constituency, causing discontent within the local party. Tensions are also rising among several hopefuls for the nomination. The party last won this constituency in the 2008 election.

Although there are multiple aspirants, discussions at the field level focus on the party’s organisational secretary for the Cumilla division, Md Selim Bhuiya; Md Abdul Matin Khan, former APS to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia; and former chairman of Homna upazila parishad, Md Azizur Rahman Molla.

Selim Bhuiya is campaigning door-to-door in the electoral constituencies of Homna and Titas. Abdul Matin is also holding meetings and rallies in the area as a nomination aspirant. Meanwhile, the name of the late M K Anwar’s son, Mahmud Anwar Kaizer, is under discussion, though he has no active presence in the field.

Md Selim Bhuiyan told Prothom Alo that he has been regularly attending rallies and meetings across the constituency and receiving huge public response everywhere. He added that the constituency has long been known as a BNP stronghold, and people want to return it to the party.

The party has nominated Nazim Uddin Molla, a member of the central majlis-e-shura and assistant secretary of Dhaka north city unit, for this constituency. Nazim Uddin has been campaigning door to door across the two upazilas, while the party’s leaders and activists are also quite active in his support. Maulana Tajul Islam is contesting from the Islami Andolan Bangladesh in the same constituency.

Cumilla-4 constituency has come under considerable discussion due to Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiya, adviser to the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives. Rumours spread that he would contest from this constituency. For political reasons, BNP leaders and activists as well as Asif Mahmud’s supporters have carried out counter-programmes. However, Asif Mahmud recently told newspersons that he intends to contest from a constituency in Dhaka.

BNP has nominated Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaykobad as its candidate here. Kaykobad has contested six national parliamentary elections so far, winning five times. He was last elected as a member of parliament in 2008. Currently, party leaders and activists believe he has no strong rival in the Cumilla-3 constituency.

Here, Jamaat’s candidate is Yusuf Hakim Sohel, former vice chairman of Muradnagar Upazila Parishad. This member of the north district Jamaat working committee is actively campaigning across the constituency, regularly attending various rallies, meetings, and gatherings. Maulana Ahmad Abdul Qayyum, the candidate of Islami Andolan Bangladesh, is also active in the constituency.

Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaykobad told Prothom Alo, “The people have been unable to vote for the past 18 years. Now they want to reclaim their voting rights. The sooner this election takes place, the better it will be for the country and for democracy.”

Compared with other constituencies in the district, politics in Cumilla-4 is attracting more attention. It is almost certain that NCP’s southern region chief organiser Hasnat Abdullah will contest from here. He is regularly attending rallies, courtyard meetings and various social activities, and his leadership during the anti-discrimination movement has increased his popularity in Debidwar. He is maintaining consistent public outreach in the area to build support for the NCP.

BNP has nominated former north district BNP president Manjurul Ahsan Munshi here. He has contested from this constituency three times so far and won all three elections. Despite having a stronghold, the BNP is mired in internal conflicts and factional clashes in this constituency.

In this constituency, Jamaat has fielded Saiful Islam (Shahid), secretary of Cumilla (north) district. He is running massive campaigns to strengthen his vote base. Islami Andolan has finalised Abdul Karim as their candidate here. In addition, CPB and NAP are also quite active in this constituency.

Within the district, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has a stronghold only in Chandina. Locals believe that BNP has not yet fielded a candidate in this constituency for the sake of its alliance partner, LDP secretary Redwan Ahmed. This has caused discontent among local BNP members.

Redwan Ahmed was last elected as a member of parliament from this constituency in 2001 on the 'paddy sheaf' symbol. He was also the BNP alliance candidate in 2018. As a ‘heavyweight candidate,’ he regularly holds meetings and rallies in the area.

In Cumilla-7, Atikul Alam, also known as Shawon, is active in the political arena as a BNP aspirant. In 2008, his late father, Khorshed Alam, then president of BNP’s Cumilla (north) district, had received the party’s nomination for this constituency.

Atikul Alam told Prothom Alo, “The leaders, workers, and common people of Chandina wholeheartedly want to vote for the BNP candidate under the 'paddy sheaf' symbol. They do not want to see anyone from another party as BNP’s or paddy sheaf’s candidate.”

Meanwhile, in Cumilla-7, Jamaat has named Maulana Mosharraf Hossain as their party candidate. He is actively engaging with the public through outreach and attending rallies. However, some party members are unhappy with the choice, and on 27 October a scuffle broke out during a party programme in Chandina over this issue.

In Chandina, the NCP has yet to begin any significant activity. Mufti Ehteshamul Haq Qasemi is active in the constituency as Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s candidate.

Mohammad Abdul Matin, ameer of Cumilla (north) district Jamaat, claims the party has a very strong hold in every constituency of northern Cumilla. He told Prothom Alo, “While other parties have only recently announced their candidates, we finalised our party’s candidates long ago. That allowed us to start campaigning early and reach more people.”

NCP’s central joint chief coordinator and Cumilla region overseer Navid Nowroz Shah told Prothom Alo, “Several candidates have applied for our nomination in multiple constituencies in Cumilla. The number of NCP aspirants is increasing in each constituency. We hope to announce party candidates for all 11 constituencies in Cumilla in the upcoming election and secure victory.”