Four more Jatiya Party candidates withdraw just before the election

Just two days before the election, four more candidates of Jatiya Party (JaPa) have withdrawn from the polls. These four candidates from Mymensingh, Lakshmipur, Rajshahi and Gaibandha announced their election boycott yesterday, Thursday, claiming it to be 'one-sided' and a 'farce'. So far 17 candidates have moved away from the election.

Other than JaPa, the chairman of Bangladesh Tarikat Federation, Syed Najibul Bashar Maizbhandari, has also moved away from the election. At a press briefing in Fatikchhari Thursday afternoon, he declared his support for the 'boat' in the Chattogram-2 (Fatikchhari) seat and announced that he was withdrawing from the polls. Tarikat Federation is a partner of the Awami League-led 14 Party alliance.

Mentioning that he was moving away from the election in support of the 'boat', Najibul Bashar told newspersons that that if he remained in the contest against the 'boat' candidate in Fatikchhari, the election equation would change. His votes may hinder the victory of the 'boat' candidate. Tarikat Federation is contesting in 42 seats. Only he has withdrawn from the Fatikchhari seat and backed the 'boat'.

According to sources, Najibul Bashar has moved away from the fray as the situation in the election arena was adverse. Awami League had not relinquished this seat for him. Other than the 'boat' candidate Khadijatul Anwar, also contesting from this constituency are Najibul Bashar's nephew and Bangladesh Supreme Party's chairman Syed Saifuddin Ahmed Maizbhandari and local Awami League leader who recently resigned as Fatikchhari upazila parishad chairman Abu Tayyab. Najibul Bashar had been trying in various ways to deactivate them, but failed. He finally conceded and moved away from the polls on Thursday.

The four JaPa candidates who declared their boycott of the election on Thursday are Mustafizur Rahman of Mymensingh-3 (Gauripur), Muhammad Rakib Hossain of Lakshmipur-3 (Sadar), Ataur Rahman of Gaibandha-5 (Saghata-Fulchhari) and Md Shamsuddin of Rajshahi-6 (Bagha-Charghat). They held separate press briefings in their respective areas, announcing their withdrawal from the 7 January parliamentary election.

News of the incident of a former Chhatra League leader stamping 43 ballots on the 'boat' symbol within 57 seconds during the by-election to the Lakshmipur-3 seat on 6 November last year, went viral all over the country. JaPa candidate Muhammad Rakib Hossain was contesting against the 'boat' in this election. He was nominated by his party. On Thursday Rakib Hossain announced his withdrawal from the polls.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, Rakib Hossain said, "My posters have been torn down in 80 per cent of the areas. My workers and polling agents are now being threatened. There is so much black money all around that some candidates are spending Tk 2.5 million (Tk 25 lakhs), the ceiling for election expenditure set by the election commission, in just one day alone. Given the overall situation, I am certain that the election will not be fair."

Mustafizur Rahman of Mymensingh-3 (Gauripur) on Thursday night told Prothom Alo, "This election is a one-sided, contrived election of seat-sharing. It is a violence election all about money. My opponents are not allowing be to contest. The administration is not cooperating either. That is why I am stepping aside, as dictated by my conscience."

Till yesterday, Thursday, the 18 candidates of JaPa who have moved away from the election so far are Mustafizur Rahman of Mymensingh-3 (Gauripur), Muhammad Rakib Hossain of Lakshmipur-3 (Sadar), Ataur Rahman of Gaibandha-5 (Saghata-Fulchhari), Md Shamsuddin of Rajshahi-6 (Bagha-Charghat), Sohrab Hossain of Chuadanga-1, Rabiul Islam of Chuadanga-2, Shabbir Ahmed of Sylhet-5, Mahbubul Alam of Dinajpur-2, Md Tofazzel Hossain of Naogaon-2, Zakir Hossain of Sirajganj-3, Khalilur Rahman of Barguna-1, Iqbal Hossain of Barishal-2 and 5, Zahirul Islam of Tangail-7, MM Niazuddin of Gazipur 1 and 5, Zainul Abedin of Gazipur-2, Shamsuddin Khan of Gazipur-4 (Kapasia), Shankar Paul of Habiganj-2 and Abdul Mannan Talukdar of Sunamganj-1.

The candidates who have stepped away from the election are outside of the seat-sharing understanding with the government.

According to sources, the JaPa candidates were frustrated as facing all sorts of adversities in the field. One of the main problems was not getting funds. The candidates had hoped that they would get financial support from the party and the government.

Awami League has relinquished 26 seats to JaPa in an election understanding this time. Awami League has not fielded any 'boat' candidate in these seats. But there are Awami League independent candidates in all but a couple of these 26 seats. So the JaPa candidates are not getting cooperation from the ruling camp in these seats either. Quite to the contrary, many of the candidates are facing threats and all sorts of hindrances.