Smaller parties want AL, BNP to give up 5 seats each
Political parties contesting the 11th national election under the grand alliance, led by the Awami League, are seeking to persuade the alliance to allocate a minimum of five seats out of the 16 constituencies in Chattogram.
On the other hand, parties under the umbrella of Jatiya Oikyafront, dominated by the BNP, are also pushing for the same number of seats in the district for the polls.
Jatiya Party, the largest of the parties after the AL in the grand alliance, currently has two lawmakers in Chattogram -- Anisul Islam Mahmud, a presidium member of JP and also the minister for environment, forest and climate change in the present government; and Zia Uddin Ahmed Bablu, the party's former secretary general.
In 2014 election, Anisul was elected in the parliament from Chattogram-5 while Bablu from Chattogram-9 under the grand alliance.
JP, this time, will strongly solicit the alliance's endorsement to keep both of them as contestants while it will also seek to approve the candidacy of Mahmudul Islam Chowdhury for Chattogram-16, party sources said.
Contacted, Bablu said his party wants him to contest the polls in Chattogram-9 constituency again.
In Chattogram-2, Tariqat Federation Chairman Nazibul Bashar Maijbhandari was elected as a candidate of the grand alliance.
He said he was “confident” that the alliance would endorse his candidacy.
Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) Executive President Main Uddin Khan Badal was elected from Chattogram-8 under the alliance in the same election.
“If Awami League goes to polls under 14-party alliance, I'll be the candidate in this constituency this time around,” Badal told this correspondent.
Meanwhile, Jatiya Oikyafront will most likely nominate Col (retd) Oli Ahmed, chairman of Liberal Democratic Party, for Chattogram-14 and a candidate from Jamaat-e-Islami for Chattogram-15, said BNP sources.
Sources at Jamaat-e-Islami said the party wants nominations of Jamaat leaders ANM Shamsul Islam for Chattogram-15 and Shahjahan Chowdhury for Chattogram-10.
However, BNP leaders said despite Jamaat's demand, it is most likely that the nomination for Chattogram-10 will be awarded to BNP's Vice Chairman Abdullah Al Noman.
Aside from Col (retd) Oli Ahmed, Gono Forum will also seek to secure Jatiya Oikyafront's endorsement for the party's Executive President Subrata Chowdhury in Chattogram-14, said Gono Forum sources.
Bangladesh Kalyan Party Chairman Maj Gen (Retd) Syed Muhammad Ibrahim is trying to get nomination from Oikyafront for Chattogram-5 while Nezami Islami chief Mufti Izharul Islam Chowdhury is looking to get nomination from Chattogram-16.
Contacted, Harun-ur-Rashid, assistant organising secretary (Chattogram division) of BNP, said his party would at best give up two to three seats out of the 16.
“A steering committee, led by Dr Kamal Hossain, is working to negotiate the seats for the polls,” he said.
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