Election 2008Conflict Rife in BNP Stronghold

Grand alliance hopes to bag 3 Bogra seats

14 December 2008, 18:00 PM

Hasibur Rahman Bilu, Bogra

Awami League-led grand alliance is expecting three seats out of a total seven seats in Bogra district, traditionally a BNP stronghold, as internal conflict is prevailing among the BNP leaders and activists in Bogra-1 (Shariakandi-Sonatola), Bogra-2 (Shibganj) and Bogra-5 (Sherpur-Dhanut) constituencies. Contesting as four-party alliance candidates, BNP leaders including former prime minister Khelada Zia won all seven seats in last parliamentary election defeating all of Awami League (AL) central and local leaders in Bogra, considered as BNP stronghold. AL candidate for Bogra-5, retired superintendent of police Habibur Rahman has already created an election atmosphere in his favour, AL district secretary Md Mazibur Rahman Majnu and several other leaders told over cell phone on Saturday. Several local BNP leaders and activists preferring anonymity said preliminary selection of three candidates for Bogra-5 constituency created internal feud in the local BNP. Submission of nomination papers by Jamaat leader Principal Rostom Ali also created confusion among the BNP-led four-party alliance activists. Ranju Kazi, former secretary of Sariakandi upazila BNP, told over cell phone that he started election campaign openly in favour of AL candidate central leader Abdul Mannan along with other four-party alliance activists for Bogra-1 constituency. Grand alliance candidate Shariful Islam Zinnah in Bogra-2 is getting hidden support of three fractions of local BNP who are dissatisfied due to selection of 'controversial' person BNP leader advocate AKM Hafizur Rahman as alliance candidate. Talking to The Daily Star over cell phone, Hafizur Rahman said a group of BNP activists are working against him. In reply to a question about his alleged involvement in human trafficking, he said, “The allegation of human tracking against me was not true. Now the issue has been forgotten by local people.”