BNP stronghold in Tangail weakens as 4 bigwigs not in scene
Local party men think of alternatives as four former ministers' participation in polls uncertain
Participation of four former BNP ministers from Tangail is still uncertain as they are either in jail or virtually inactive since declaration of emergency, political circles said. One of them is in jail, one on the run and two others are virtually absent from their constituencies since 1/11, they said. In their long absence, local party men are thinking alternatives and the party high ups are also looking for new faces, party insiders said. Former minister for jute and textile and influential BNP leader from Tangail Shajahan Siraj and his family are absconding since declaration of emergency, police said. Shajahan Siraj, his wife Rabeya Siraj, son and daughter is convicted in absentia in a tax dodging case. Shajahan Siraj, vice president of BNP, also faces two more corruption cases, police said. Shajahan Siraj won from the Tangail-4 (Kalihati) constituency by defeating Awami League (AL) candidate Abdul Latif Siddiqui in election of 2001. In his absence, Lutfar Rahman Matin, America expatriate Atiqur Rahman Yousufjai Salu, former vice president of Government Saadat college Selim Reza and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal leader Benzir Ahmed Titu are seeking BNP ticket from the constituency, party sources said. Former state minister for NGO affairs Lutfar Rahman Khan Azad is virtually inactive in politics since the emergency. After 1/11, he was seen only in Tangail court area two times when he went to appear in a cheating case filed with Ghatail police station. Azad was however later exempted from the case. He was not seen in the constituency so far, local party men claimed. Authorities concerned asked his and his family members' bank statements recently, sources said. Azad won from Tangail-3 (Ghatail) constituency in the elections in 1991, 1996 of 2001 elections by defeating Awami League candidate Shamsur Rahman Khan Shajahan. Ghatail Mayor Abdur Rashid Miah, president of Ghatail Poura unit of, as an alternative, party sources said. Goutam Chakroborty, former state minister for water resources during 4-party alliance government was seen in his Nagarpur constituency only once since 1/11, party men claimed. Goutam won from the Tangail-6 (Nagarpur) in 1996 and 2001 elections by defeating AL candidate Khandakar Abdul Baten. In Goutam's silence, Nagarpur upazila BNP president Habibur Rahman Chunnu, Barrister Ashek Ali, former JCD leaders Robiul Islam Lablu, Shoriful Islam Arzu and Ahmed Hossain Swapan are seeking alliance ticket from the constituency, they said. Former deputy minister for education Abdus Salam Pintu, another influential BNP leader from Tangail, was arrested in connection with the August 21 grenade attack on Sheikh Hasina's rally. He is in jail. Salam Pintu won from Tangail-2 (Bhuapur-Gopalpur) in 2001 election by defeating AL candidate Khandaker Asaduzzaman. If Salam Pintu can not contest for any reason, his younger brother and JCD central senior vice president Sultan Salahuddin Tuku or BNP's alliance partner BJP (Naziur-Firoz) secretary general Shamim-al-Mamun may contest from the constituency as alliance candidate, party sources said. Some dedicated field level BNP leaders and activists told The Daily Star that BNP stronghold Tangail may see a much weaker organization in coming days.
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