Election 2008

<i>Tarique's absence in Bogra hardly felt</i>

Local BNP leaders say

21 December 2008, 18:00 PM

Hasibur Rahman Bilu, Bogra

The absence of BNP senior joint secretary general Tarique Rahman in the election campaign for the four-party alliance candidates in Bogra has not made any difference. BNP Bogra district committee president Rezaul Karim Badsha on Friday afternoon told this correspondent over cell phone that after the party chairperson Khaleda Zia visited Bogra on December 17 such a situation has been created that no absence of anybody, if even felt earlier, is now being felt. He also said, as Bogra is a fort of BNP the presence of central leaders in the election campaign is not necessary here. A four-party alliance candidate and BNP leader in Bogra on condition of anonymity told this correspondent over cell phone that he does not feel Tarique Rahman's absence in election campaign in Bogra has any impact on his campaign. None of his workers told him that they were feeling the absence of Tarique. He said as the election laws has become stricter, on the one hand the election cost has come down and on the other the leaders and workers need not run after leaders like Tarique Rahman. He claimed that they do not need any leader this time as common people are working for him. Anwar Hossain, who is working for BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia's election campaign in Bogra-7 (Gabtoli) constituency said, he worked for the BNP nominee in last three elections. He does not feel the impact of Tarique Rahman's absence in the election campaign. Another BNP worker in the same area Azizar Rahman said, Tarique's absence is not creating any problem as the candidate in Bogra-6 and Bogra-7 seats are party chairperson Khaleda Zia herself. There is no necessity of any publicity by any other central leader in these two seats.