Saifur, Muhith may lock horns again in Sylhet-1
M Saifur Rahman (left), AMA Muhit (right)
Rival stalwarts and former ministers M Saifur Rahman of BNP and AMA Muhit of Awami League may face each other in Sylhey-1 constituency in the upcoming parliamentary election. “If the party chief gives green signal, I will contest from Sylhet-1 (Sylhet Sadar)”, Saifur told party leaders and activists at a Eid reunion at his village home at Baharmardan in Moulvibazar Saturday night. On the other hand, AL advisory committee member and bureaucrat turned politician AMA Muhit said, “I am ready to contest the parliament election from Sylhet-1 constituency”. He was addressing a Eid reunion organised by Sylhet city AL Saturday night. Speakers at the meeting earlier urged him to run the polls race. Expressing doubt about holding of the parliamentary election on December 18, Muhit however said, “The state of emergency is an obstacle to holding of a free and fair election. “Besides, some other technical problems may arise due to holding of upazila election almost at the same time. “Awami League is a democratic party. We are ready to face any challenge. "There is no alternative to election for going to power”, Muhit said. Also a former finance minister during Ersahad's rule, Muhith said AL will have to work hard for victory like the one achieved in the August 4 city corporation polls. Acting chief of city AL Siraj Baksh chaired the meeting held at the city's Hafij Complex. City mayor Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran, former lawmaker Muhibur Rahman Manik, district AL chief ANM Shafiqul Haque and secretary Iftekhar Hossain Shamim and city AL secretary Misbah Uddin Siraj also spoke. The meeting removed the confusion about AL's candidature in Sykhet-1 constituency, a number of party leaders said. Saifur's get-together was addressed by, among others, Sylhet city BNP secretary Nasim Hossain, former lawmakers Abeda Chowdhury and Abdul Kaher Chowdhury, Dr. Shahriar Hossain Chowdhury and Abdul Kaher Shamim. Replying to their requests, Saifur said, “Khaleda Zia will okay things. I am ready to contest”. He called upon the party men to organise the party in a right way to face the challenge. Saifur had led the reformist BNP group and those who attended the meeting were also known as reformists. Meeting sources said leaders of the Saifur's rival faction led by former lawmaker and Sylhet district BNP convener M Ilyas Ali did not join the re-union. Meanwhile, a meeting of Sylhet city BNP, its ward, thana and union committees will be held at the city's United Centre today (Monday). There may be an announcement at the meeting about the party's candidature for Sylhe-1 constituency in the upcoming election, source said. After 1/11, Saifur at several occasions expressed his unwillingness to remain in politics. He became controversial after he took stance for reforms in the party. A faction in BNP is trying to field BNP senior joint secretary Tarique Rahman's wife Dr. Zubaida Rahman in Sylhet Sadar constituency, party sources said. But some sources said this is a distant possibility as she is in London taking care of her ailing husband. Dr. Zubaida is the daughter of former Navy chief late MA Khan, who hails from Birahimpur village in Dakshin Surma upazila in Sylhet.
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