Election 2008Moulvibazar-2

Abbas Khan now grand alliance candidate

24 December 2008, 18:00 PM

Our Correspondent, Moulvibazar

The grand alliance has once again changed its candidate for Moulvibazar-2 (Kulaura and four unions of Kamalganj) constituency, giving nomination to Nawab Ali Abbas Khan of Jatiya Party (Ershad). The latest decision has received welcome from local activists of both the AL and JP. Earlier Ataur Rahman Shamim of AL and Nawab Ali Abbas Khan of JP submitted nomination papers for this seat. During scrutiny, the returning officer (RO) cancelled nomination paper of AL nominee Shamim for his outstanding loan. In the meantime, Ali Abbas Khan was declared as the grand alliance candidate for the seat. After the Election Commission upheld the RO's decision about cancellation of Shamim's nomination, he appealed to the High Court that asked the EC to accept his nomination paper. Then Shamim started campaign with 'boat' symbol in the constituency, claiming that he is the grand alliance candidate. On December 18, HT Imam, the co-chairman of the election conducting committee of central AL, issued a letter to Moulvibazar district and Kulaura upazila units of AL, describing AL nominee Ataur Rahman Shamim as the alliance candidate. The decision of central AL created confusion among local AL and JP activists who even involved in clashes. On Saturday evening, HT Imam talked with the president and the general secretary of Moulvibazar district AL over phone and informed them that the party chief finally nominated JP leader Ali Abbas Khan as grand alliance candidate for the seat. HT Imam also asked Shamim to work for Ali Abbas.