First big opportunity for ‘clean’ candidates

With Awami League and BNP both nominating candidates of relatively solid repute at the cost of public office experience for the mayoral post of Chattogram City Corporation (CCC), residents of the port city are cautiously optimistic of a well-fought contest.  

AL's nomination of Rezaul Karim Chowdhury came as a bit of a surprise to party activists, who have traditionally been inclined to one of the two former mayors – AJM Nasir Uddin and ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury.

This will be the first attempt at holding a major public office for Rezaul -- the joint general secretary of the party's Chattogram city unit -- after failed bids for nomination in the 2015 CCC mayoral polls and in the last parliamentary elections from Chattogram-8.

The nomination of Shahadat Hossain, a physician by profession and president of BNP Chattogram city unit, was more predetermined, according to the candidate himself.  He was last seen in action as the BNP candidate in Chattogram-9 for the parliamentary polls in 2018.

Both candidates are considered "tested soldiers" of their parties, and known to be of clean image, well-spoken, and patrons of fair politics, according to sources at both AL and BNP in the port city.

While talking to this correspondent some three months ago, Shahadat had said he was given green signal from the party high-command to prepare for contesting as a mayoral candidate. This, presumably, has given Shahadat more time to prepare and plan his campaign.

However, Rezaul's strength lies in the strong foundation of his party in the city. As he does not belong to either of the rival factions of city AL, party insiders said activists of all factions would work for him wholeheartedly.

The history of CCC polls is also on AL's side, who won mayoral elections four times against BNP's single victory, since 1994.

Instead of giving up to history, Shahadat told this newspaper he wants to reconstruct it this time. He, however apprehended that "musclemen of ruling party" might spoil the festive mood of polls.

"We want a festive atmosphere in polls… I don't want an election based on muscle power, but our recent experience is bitter. Ruling party men obstructed and threatened voters from come to polling centres," said Shahadat, adding, "Our polling agents were forcibly compelled to go out from centres," referring to the 11th parliamentary elections.

"This time we expect the election commission and law enforcing agencies would play a fair role to create a level playing field for all candidates," he said. "Rezaul Karim is a politician of fair image; I hope he would not allow any unfair activities in polls."

Rezaul told The Daily Star that he also wanted a festive atmosphere in polls. "We expect voters to exercise their franchise in a festive mood," he told The Daily Star recently, adding, "I do not have musclemen… common people are my strength"

WHAT CITIZENS THINK

Advocate Akhtar Kabir Chowdhury, president of Chattogram city unit of Sacheton Nagorik Committee under Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), said it is true that both Rezaul and Shahadat are the politicians of clean image.

"But none of them are charismatic political leaders," said, adding, "Under the current situation where voters are not too interested to go to polling centres, had charismatic and popular political leaders been nominated, they could have drawn voters to polling centres in large numbers."

"As none of the candidates have experience to serve as a public representative, they are untested," said Akhtar. "I am not sure how strong they would be in performing their duty. If they fail to be strict in their personality, they might be misguided by party leaders and activists."

Prof Dr AQM Serajul Islam Chowdhury, however, was of a different view.

Serajul, also president of Peshajibi Samannay Parishad, Chattogram, told The Daily Star that both the AL and BNP mayoral candidates are of clean repute, and that will encourage voters to go to polling centres.

"When tension prevails between rival candidates and activists of candidates lock in clashes with each other during campaigns, voters become frightened and lose interest to go to polling centres," he said. "But both the candidates have been maintaining their clean image so far in campaign… they are not seen to make any derogatory comments against each other, which is a good sign."

Amir Uddin, general secretary of Chattogram Kardata Surakkha Parishad, said, "If they [ the two candidates] can attract voters to the polling centres, and if voters can vote in a free and fair atmosphere, it would be a great achievement from this election."

Bimal Barua, a resident of Saltgola area of the port city, spoke to this newspaper after Rezaul Karim campaigned in his neighbourhood on Tuesday. "I have never had the opportunity to listen to him speak; today I heard his speech for the first time, and I am pleased… we need to elect gentlemen as our representatives. I have heard BNP candidate Shahadat Hossain is also a politician of clean imag. It is going to be a tough contest."