Election in the Sylhet Air

AL swings into campaign, BNP lags a little behind

JP targets 8 out of 19 seats in region

27 November 2008, 18:00 PM

Iqbal Siddique, Sylhet

NEW AL FACES IN SYLHET (From top left clockwise): Shafiqur Rahman, MA Mannan, Matiur Rahman, Moazzem Hossain Ratan, Syed Mohsin, Shamim, Abu Zahir and Abdul Majid Khan.

Awami League has set its candidates in most of the constituencies in the region. The candidates have already started campaign in their respective areas. However, in some seats party nominees are facing trouble from the grassroots and rival aspirants while some nominations are yet to be announced. On the other hand, BNP is a little behind in selecting candidates in some constituencies, while party activists in both the camps are active for their leaders. However, both the camps may face serious problems due to mismatch with the alliance partners in some constituencies. In Sylhet-1 (City corporation and Sadar upazila) AL led alliance had already been on the campaign for AMA Muhit. Things became complicated for BNP-led four-party alliance as former finance minister Saifur Rahman Saturday expressed his reluctance over contesting from Sylhet and opted for contesting from the Moulvibazar-3 constituency (Moulvibazar Sadar and Rajnagar). However, most of the party leaders including the 3 lawmakers of 2001 in Sylhet district are no longer with Saifur this time. Jamaat had already said, if Saifur were dropped, they would press for the seat. In Sylhet-2 (Biswanath and Balaganj) BNP is comparatively safe with its district convener former lawmaker M Ilyas Ali. But, the AL is in trouble here as they had fielded UK AL joint secretary Shofiqur Rahman Chowdhury while grassroots wanted former upazila chairman Muhibur Rahman. In Sylhet-3, BNP as well as the alliance is in a little better position with former lawmaker Shafi Ahmed Chowdhury. But, the AL has fielded Russel Shishu Kishore Sangathan central secretary general-Mahmud Us Samad Chowdhury again, while grand alliance partner JP would press for their presidium member Atiqur Rahman Atique. JP has been pressing for 8 out of 19 seats in the region, Sylhet-3 topping the list, they added. In Sylhet-4 (Jaintapur, Gowainghat and Companiganj) AL's former lawmaker Imran Ahmed has been on the campaign to face BNP's 2001 lawmaker Dilder Hossain Selim. In Sylhet-5 (Zakiganj and Kanaighat) 4-party alliance has Jamaat's 2001 lawmaker Moulana Farid Uddin Chowdhury, having no other aspirant from the BNP. Awami League's former lawmaker Pubali bank Chairman Hafiz Ahmed Mazumder is on the field already although his party has rival factions in both the upazilas. In Sylhet-6 (Golapganj and Beanibazar), Awami League has their former lawmaker Nurul Islam Nahid to contest Syed Mokbul Hossain, who was elected independently in 2001 and later joined BNP. Mokbul told the Daily Star, "Again I will contest independent, and I am no longer with BNP or any other party." None can yet say who is to be in Sylhet-6 (Golapganj and Beanibazar) for the BNP led alliance.