Protest by 2 Khulna AL aspirants' men

27 November 2008, 18:00 PM

Staff Correspondent

Supporters observe a token hunger strike on the premises of Khulna Press Club yesterday demanding nomination to Khulna district Awami League President Sheikh Harun-ar-Rashid for Khulna-1 and senior Vice President Sheikh Nurul Huq for Khulna-6 constituencies.Photo: STAR

Police foiled observance of token hunger strike by over 2000 people in the Khulna Press Club premises at 10 am yesterday (Thursday) in demand of nomination to Khulna district Awami League president Sheikh Harun-ar-Rashid from Khulna-1 and senior Vice President Advocate Sheikh Nurul Huq from Khulna-6 constituencies. Later, they went to the Khulna Awami League office to observe token hunger strike from 10:30 a.m. till 2 p.m., which was followed by a rally. The grassroots level people came to Khulna from Batiaghata, Dakop, Koira and Paikgacha upazilas of Khulna-1 and Khulna-6 seats of the Parliament in protest against nominations of Nani Gopal Mandol and Advocate Sohrab Ali Sana. After the token hunger strike a rally was held where speakers appealed to AL Chief Sheikh Hasina to review nominations by fielding Sheikh Harun in Khulna-1 (Batiaghata-Dacope) and Advocate Nurul Huq in Khulna-6 (Koira-Paikgacha) constituencies. Otherwise, the speakers warned that the party would face polls debacle in the two seats. AL Parliamentary board has fielded Dacope upazila AL president Nani Gopal Mandol in Khulna-1 and Advocate Sohrab Ali Sana in Khulna-6 to contest in the upcoming national elections. Nominations to these two new faces have triggered discontent among grassroots level workers and leaders of the two constituencies. Sheikh Harun and Advocate Sheikh Nurul Huq said they were stunned at the decision of the AL parliamentary board regarding nomination in the two constituencies. Advocate Sheikh Nurul Huq who won Khulna 6 seat in 1996 said he would contest as an independent candidate if the nomination were not reviewed. . Sheikh Harun-ar-Rashid who was elected lawmaker from Khulna-1 in 1986 national elections said that the decision was unacceptable to him. "Yet, I would not go against party decision", Harun said urging Sheikh Hasina to review the nomination and field him in Khulna-1.