Kishoreganj AL faces 14 'rebels' in UZ polls
Election to 13 upazilas in Kishoreganj will be held in third phase on March 24. Forty-two candidates are running for chairman post in 12 upazilas of the district as Awami League (AL) nominated candidate Achhia Alam was elected as chairman unopposed in Mithamoin upazila parishad.
AL-backed aspirants are facing some 14 rebel and expelled BNP candidates in the polls, party sources said.
In Kishoreganj Sadar upazila, AL candidate Sakauddin Ahmad Rajon, former president of district BCL, is facing National Peoples' Party (NPP) candidate Md Sumon Miah and three independent candidates -- executive member of district BNP Kamrun Nahar Luna, Mamun Al Masud Khan and Cap (Retd) Salahuddin Ahmed.
In Karimganj, AL candidate is Nasirul Islam Khan Awlad, also upazila AL convener, and NPP candidate is Md Anwarul Kabiria while two independent candidates are Swechchhasebok League leader Amjad Hossain Khan Didar and former president of Karimganj upazila BNP Md Rafiqur Rahman.
In Bhairab, AL candidate Md Saidullah Miah, upazila AL president, is facing two rebels -- upazila AL's former secretary Abul Mansur and upazila Jubo League convener Oliul Islam.
In Itna, AL candidate Chowdhury Kamrul Hasan is incumbent upazila chairman while upazila AL's secretary advocate Md Khalilur Rahman is rebel candidate.
In Hossainpur, AL candidate Md Shahjahan Parvez is facing JP's Md Abdul Kadir Swapon and independent candidate Mohammad Sohel.
In Tarail, AL candidate Azizul Haque Bhuiyan Motahar is facing JP's Md Johirul Bhuiyan Shaheen and independent candidates Israt Uddin Ahmed Babul and Md Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan and AKM Zaman Samrat. Kabir and Samrat are AL supporters.
In Katiadi, AL candidate Tania Sultana Happy is facing Jaker Party's Shahiduzzaman and independent candidates Md Ali Akbar, central leader of Tanti League Md Altaf Uddin, Dr Mohammad Mustaqur Rahman and Md Anwar Anar.
In Nikli, AL candidate is Saiful Islam while independent candidates are Md Ruhul Quddus Bhuiyan and Nasiruzzaman Aslam.
In Astagram, AL candidate Shahidul Islam is facing rebels -- Mustaq Ahmed Kamol and Mohammad Moniruzzaman Bhuiyan.
In Bajitpur, AL candidate Md Sarwar Alam is facing Jatiya Party's Mohammad Aminul Islam and upazila AL's joint-convener Md Mobarak Hossain Master.
In Pakundia, AL candidate Rafiqul Islam Renu is facing JP's advocate Md Jahangir Alam Shawkat.
In Kuliarchar, AL candidate is Yeasir Miah and Jaker Party candidate is Md Saidur Rahman while Islami Oikyajote aspirant is Abul Kashem Fazlul Haque.
Meanwhile, BNP expelled its four leaders, including two female leaders for deciding to participate in upazila parishad elections in Kishoreganj violating the party decision.
They were expelled from all posts of the party and their primary membership was also cancelled on March 11, said Md Mazharul Islam, secretary of BNP Kishoreganj district unit.
The expelled leaders are Kamrun Nahar Luna, an executive member of district BNP who is in the race for chairman post from Kishoreganj sadar uapzila; and Al Mamun, secretary of Jubo Dal Bhairab upazila unit; Abul Kashem Khan, vice-president of BNP's Tarail upazila unit and Asma Akter, joint-organising secretary of District Mohila Dal who are running for vice-chairman posts from Bhirab, Tarail and Karimganj upazilas respectively.
Luna is the first female candidate for the upazila parishad chairman post.a