AL faces party 'rebels' in 10 UZs

Awami League (AL) nominated candidates in 10 upazilas of Netrakona and Panchagarh will face party rebels in the upazila parishad election to be held today, report our Mymensingh and Thakurgaon correspondents.

Eleven rebel candidates in six upazilas of Netrakona will vie for chairman post in today's polls, the first phase of the election.

There are 10 upazilas in Netrakona and election to Aatpara upazila will be held later.

Out of nine upazilas, two local AL leaders were elected as upazila parishad chairmen in Sadar and Kendua unopposed.

The Election Commission has postponed the election to Purbadhala upazila as the present situation is not fit for free and fair polls, said Abdullah-Al-Muthasir, district election officer.

In Mohanganj, AL candidate is Md Shahid Iqbal while rebel candidates are upazila AL's former president Mujibur Rahman Kacha Miah and former president of Jubo League Ejajul Haque Royal.

In Khaliajury, upazila AL President Golam Kibria Jobber is facing rebel candidate incumbent Chairman Shamduzzaman Talukder Soyeb Siddiquee.

In Barhatta, AL-backed candidate is Golam Rasul Talukder, vice president of Netrakona district AL, while rebel candidate is Mainul Haque Kashem, member of district AL.

In Durgapur, AL nominated aspirant Emdadul Haque Khan, party's upazila vice president, is facing rebel candidates -- district AL member Jannatul Ferdous Jhuma Talukder; upazila AL former secretary Saidul Hossain Akunjee and upazila AL members Kamal Pasha and Abdul Gani.

In Kalmakanda, AL-backed candidate is freedom fighter Abdul Khaleque Talukder while local AL leader Fazlul Haque is in the race as rebel candidate.

In Madan, upazila member of the party Md Habibur Rahman is AL nominated candidate and his rival candidates are upazila Jubo League former secretary Saidur Rahman and upazila AL member Iftekharul Alam Khan Chowdhury.

Meanwhile, AL-backed aspirants in four upazilas out of five in Panchagarh are facing a tough challenge from party rebels and independent candidates. 

Farukh Alam Tobi, Boda upazila unit general secretary of the party, has already been declared chairman as he had no contestant.    

Election to Panchagarh Sadar, Atwary, Tentulia and Debiganj upazilas will be held today.

Though BNP has boycotted the election, two of its expelled leaders are contesting in Sadar and Tentulia upazilas as independent candidates for the post of chairman.      

In Sadar upazila, AL-backed aspirant Amirul Islam is facing independent candidates--Daud Prodhan, former upazila BNP president, ATM Toufiq Hossain and retired college teacher Md Rafiqul Islam.

In Atway upazila, AL nominated candidate is Touhidul Islam, president of the upazila unit, while Joint Secretary of the same unit advocate Anisur Rahman is contesting as independent candidate.

In Tentulia upaila, Kazi Mahamudur Rahman Dablu, upazila unit general secretary, is AL nominated candidate and his uncle's wife former lawmaker Farida Akhter, also the vice president of district unit of AL, is rebel candidate while Muktarul Haque, member of upazila BNP, is contesting as independent candidate.

In Debiganj, AL nominated candidate Hasnat Zaman Chowdhury, incumbent chairman and also the upazila unit general secretary, is facing six party rebels in the election. 

Besides, 25 people are contesting for vice chairman post and 18 women are contesting for vice chairman (reserved) in five upazilas of the district.

District Election Officer Mohammad Ashraful Alam said they are taking necessary measures to ensure a free and fair election in the upazilas.