Election 2008

BNP rebels worry 4-party in 6 Sylhet division seats

27 December 2008, 18:00 PM

Iqbal siddiquee, Sylhet

The BNP-led alliance is facing trouble from rebels in 6 constituencies in Sylhet division this time, though all the seats were captured by it in 2001. Three of the seas are in Sylhet, two in Sunamganj and one in Moulvibazar district. In 2001 election, four BNP nominees and two party rebels were elected in those seats. The two rebels returned to the party later but denied nomination this time. Rebel contenders former lawmakers Syed Mokbul Hossain and MM Shahin and Nozir Hosain are on top of discussion now, who are worries for party nominees, sources said. They said in Sylhet-6, Mokbul would bag most of BNP men's vote while 4-party alliance runner Moulana Habibur Rahman of Jamaat-e-Islami is getting support from a faction only. The contest would be between grand alliance candidate former lawmaker Nurul Islam Nahid and Mokbul, locals said. Syed Mokbul Hossain was first elected in 1986 as an independent runner. As an independent runner, he defeated AL's Nurul Islam Nahid in 2001 election also with a margin of 5,000 votes. Mokbul enjoyed support of local BNP men as they had no party candidate at that time. This time also, BNP mysteriously sacrificed the seat to Jamaat's district Amir Moulana Habibur Rahman, who is contesting as a four-party alliance candidate. After 2001 election, Mokbul joined BNP, but was expelled from the party in 2006 as he protested alleged misdeeds of Saifur's son. But Mokbul still enjoys support of a BNP faction and may show something different, many in the area believe. Failing to manage BNP ticket in 2001, MM Shahin ran independent and was elected by defeating AL's Sultan Mohammad Mansur in Moulvibazar-2. This time also, Shahin is an independent runner, facing BNP nominee Abed Raza. As Raza was disqualified for loan default, things went in favour of Shahin. But Raza came back to the scene again. However, it is too late. The contest in Moulvibazar-2 would be between grand alliance nominee former lawmaker Nabab Ali Abbas Khan of Jatiya party (JP) and Shahim, a number of people said yesterday. USA AL leader Ataur Rahman Shamim was first given party ticket in Moulvibazar-2 dropping reformist Sultan. His nomination was cancelled for loan default, but it was cleared by the High Court. But it is too late also. Nozir Hossain is contesting in two seats--Sunamganj1 and Sunamganj-4. Once a CPB man, Nozir was elected in 1991 from AL- led alliance and in 2001 he was elected with a BNP ticket from Sunamganj-1 (Tahirpur, Dharmapasha and Zamalganj). Nozir was expelled from BNP in July this year for his role as a frontline reformist under the leadership of Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan. In Sunamganj-4, Nozir is fighting former district BNP chief and whip Fazlul Haque Aspia. He is trying to cash in on the long absence of Aspia from the area after 1/11. Party men said Nozir may do well in Sunamganj-4, where the grand alliance has fielded JP's Mumtaj Iqbal against Aspia. Aspia has the image of a gentleman among people while AL men are working for Mumtaj Iqbal, the lone female runner in Sylhet division. In his original constituency-Sunamganj-1, independent runner Nozir has been causing trouble for BNP's Dr. Rafique Chowdhury, a former leader of central BMA. AL has a new face there--Moazzem Hossain Ratan. Locals said contest may be between Ratan and Nozir. In Sylhet-3, four-party candidate former lawmaker Shafi Ahmed Chowdhury is facing independent runner Juba Dal central vice-president Abdul Quaiyum Chowdhury. Quaiyum may manage several thousand votes, locals said. Quaiyum was expelled from the party last week. Independent runner BNP leader barrister Kutub Uddin Sikder is a headache for 4-party nominee Jamaat's former lawmaker Moulana Farid Uddin Chowdhury in Sylhet-5. AL's former lawmaker Hafiz Ahmed Mazumder is grand alliance nominee there.