A last-ditch bid for unity

With only one day left for the by-polls to Rangpur-3 constituency, senior leaders of Jatiya Party (JP) have held a meeting with local leaders and activists to put aside their differences and work together to make sure that their candidate win the election.

Senior leaders, including Chairperson GM Quader, held a meeting with local leaders and activists on Wednesday night at a community centre on Rangpur-Gangachhara road to come up with a strategy in this regard.

The by-polls to Rangpur-3 constituency will be held tomorrow. The parliamentary seat fell vacant after HM Ershad, Jatiya Party (JP) chairman and also opposition leader of the House, died on July 14.

JP Secretary General Moshiur Rahman Ranga and party candidate Saad Ershad were also present at the meeting, which started around 8:30pm and continued till early yesterday. However, quite a few senior JP leaders in Rangpur did not attend.

GM Quader in his speech said, “JP is united and this constituency [Sadar upazila] is our stronghold.” He urged party members to work for Saad during the election.

Mentionable, Ershad won all elections he took part in from this seat following the end of his military rule in 1990.

Ranga said Ershad was a dedicated leader and people of Rangpur loved him. He also urged party members to remain united.

Meanwhile, all sorts of campaigning remained suspended from yesterday. Asked, the JP chairman and secretary general said they did not violate the electoral code of conduct as the meeting was held outside the constituency.

Though no senior leaders of JP in Rangpur were seen extending their support to Saad during campaigning, meeting sources said they have decided to put aside their differences now.

Besides Saad, Ershad’s nephew Shahriar Asif is contesting as an independent candidate, while Rita Rahman is BNP’s candidate.

The election will be held at 175 centres. GM Sahatab Uddin, regional election officer in Rangpur, said they have already appointed 175 presiding and 2,046 polling officers for the centres. A total of 4,42,072 people are expected to exercise their franchise. 

At least 49 centres out of 175 are “extremely sensitive”, mentioned Sahatab.