Sylhet City Corporation Polls
New faces in AL, BNP for mayoral post as bigwigs absent
As prospect for holding Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) election in next March-April is getting brighter, rivals Awami League and BNP are preparing for polls though political activities are yet to be allowed. But the scenario this time is different. Mid-level leaders are showing up due to absence of front ranking party men. A vacuum is prevailing in the two major parties as most bigwigs are either in jail or do not visit their areas since declaration of emergency. Though local body polls are not held on party basis, candidates mostly belong to parties and depend on campaign and support by party men. Sylhet city AL chief and the then Pourashava chairman Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran became SCC mayor in 2003 by defeating district BNP chief MA Haque. Kamran is in jail now on graft charges. The then four-party alliance nomination went to Haque as former pourashava chairman AFM Kamal failed to earn support of BNP stalwart Saifur Rahman who had overwhelming control over the alliance camp in the district. As Kamal decided to run as an independent candidate, he was expelled. Consequently, intra-party feud in district BNP confirmed Kamran's victory. Kamran may not be eligible to fight the polls this time, political circles here apprehend. This has made many in his party to think of contesting the coming mayoral election. Former chairman of Sylhet Pourasava and Sadar upazila Parishad Babrul Hossain Babul is an aspirant from AL, sources said. But it may not be easy for him to get green signal from AL high-ups because he had changed party several times earlier. Originally an AL man, Babul had earlier left the party to join BNP and then Ershad's Jatiya Party but backed to AL again. Talking tot this correspondent, a number of senior AL leaders said, the party is not in so much trouble that it will have to field a man like Babul. Babul said he is confident of getting AL approval to his candidature. Otherwise, he will run independently. City AL general secretary advocate Misbah Uddin Siraj is hopeful of getting party clearance this time. City AL joint secretary Ashfaque Ahmed is also another aspirant. Besides, some AL leaders are trying to field former minister elderly Dewan Farid Gazi for the polls race. But he is not interested because of old age, some sources claimed. Some other sources claimed that if Kamran fails to fight, his wife Asma Kamran may join the race. In BNP camp, many feel that AFM Kamal would be the best choice. Haque is also interested. In the last election, Haque enjoyed support from Jamaat-e-Islami, which may field its own man in the coming polls if the political situation favours. In that case, city Jamaat chief Dr Shafiqur Rahman may be in the race. There may be shortage of candidates for 27 posts of ward commissioner. Five among the 27 commissioners are either in jail or hiding. The first SCC election was held on March 20, 2003. Term of the elected local body leaders ends on March 20, 2008. An official in the Election Commission here said, they are preparing to hold the city corporation election in April-May. In the past, campaigning for the city corporation polls began about a year ahead of the polls but this time, it is yet to start as political activities are banned. Prospective candidates are already holding in-house meetings, parleys, meeting people and lobbying with central leaders, sources said. Campaign by candidates will start with withdrawal of ban on indoor politics, political leaders hinted. But they said both the parties are in a disarray as senior leaders are absent from the area. A full-fledged AL district committee could not be formed in last two years. Names in only five key posts in the district committee were announced at a party convention in late 2005, but other posts are yet unfulfilled. Tenure of district Juba League, city and district Chhatra league committees expired long ago. Besides Kamran, district AL general secretary Iftekhar Hossain Shamim, city AL joint secretary and ward commissioner Abdul Khalique, city Juba League secretary and ward commissioner Azadur Rahman Azad are in jail. City AL secretary Misbahuddin Siraj, district Chhatra League chief Zaglu Chowdhury and a number of AL and Juba League leaders are now on bail after months in jail. District AL chief ANM Shafique is abroad for months. District BNP is also running without any full-fledged committee for years. The party is being run by a convening committee led by former lawmaker M Ilyas Ali. Some party sources claimed that the committee lost its effectiveness due to feud between factions led by party stalwart Saifur Rahman and Ilyas. Ilyas is absent from the area for months. One of the factions now supports Saifur-Hafij leadership while the other is loyal to Khondker Dewar. Voter listing in the city areas had been going on and is expected to be completed by December, election officials said.
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