Election 2008

<i>Election campaign marks Eid day in Khulna</i>

11 December 2008, 18:00 PM

Staff Correspondent, Khulna

On Eid day Monday the candidates for upcoming parliamentary elections spent time not with their family members but exchanging greetings with voters of their respective constituencies. All of them attended Eid congregations and offered fateha at the graveyards in their respective constituencies, which they rarely did in the past. AL candidates Mizanur Rahman Mizan of Khulna-2 (Sadar-Sonadanga), Molla Jalaluddin of Khulna-4 Rupsha-Digholia-Terokheda) and Advocate Sohrab Ali Sana of Khulna-6 (Koira-Paikgachha) who are sure of remaining in the polls battle launched their campaigns directly from Eidgah maidan by visiting houses of voters on Eid day to seek doa for their victory against rivals. Similar was the approach of four-party alliance candidates of all the six seats who exchanged Eid greetings with voters. None of the candidates of AL and four-party alliance was at all concerned with the matter relating to purchase of sacrificial animal. Other members of their families did the job. "We preferred contacting voters instead of wasting our valuable time for buying sacrificial animal. We got it done by our wives or relatives," said Nazrul Islam Manju of BNP and Mizanur Rahman of AL both contesting from Khulna-2 constituency. Begum Mannujan Sufian of AL and Kazi Sikander Ali Dalim of BNP contesting from Khulna-3 also exchanged greetings with voters of the industrial belt. Both the candidates are having tough time without getting any positive response from financially handicapped workers of seven Jute Mills that fall within their constituencies. The two Jamaat candidates contesting from Khulna-5 (Dumuria-Phultala) and Khulna-6 constituencies under the banner of four party alliance moved only with their party workers to exchange Eid greetings. City Ameer of Jamaat and ex-lawmaker Mian Golam Parwar again contesting from Khulna-5 was not accompanied by BNP leaders. Because, Dumuria BNP has already withdrawn support from him due to his dubious role during last five years allegedly for his connection with underground parties. But Mian Golam Parwar has denied this allegation. Veteran Awami League leader Molla Jalaluddin and industrialist Sharif Shah Kamal Taj of BNP contesting from Khulna-4 offered Eid prayer in their home upazilas Digholia and Terokheda respectively. Taj, a new face in BNP politics reportedly enjoys blessing from certain central leaders, as he is one of the richest candidates in four-party alliance.