3 constituencies: Intra-party rivalry, violence a concern for Rajshahi voters

In Rajshahi, Awami League candidates face tough battles with independents in five out of six constituencies, with the focal point being Rajshahi-2 (city) and Rajshahi-6 (Charghat-Bagha) and Rajshahi-4 (Bagmara) due to intra-party rivalry and pre-polls violence.

The AL independents at the constituencies expressed their concerns that the AL candidates "may influence election results by rigging and other unfair means".

They alleged that AL candidates began distributing money for votes after the campaign ended.

In Rajshahi-2, Workers' Party's Fazle Hossain Badsha got the "boat" symbol but faced resistance from the local 14-party alliance. The city AL, led by Mohammad Ali Kamal, supported independent Shafiqur Rahman Badsha, endorsing the "scissor" symbol instead of boat, causing Fazle to seek support from a faction led by city AL's general secretary Dablu Sarker.

Shafiqur Rahman Badsha in a press conference on Thursday night said he noticed "a partial behaviour of local administration during the election campaign".

"The authorities ignored all five complaints against my opponent, while I have to seek apology for one complaint against me," he said.

In Rajshahi-6, AL's Mohammad Shahriar Alam faces a tough fight against independent candidate Md Rahenul Haque, who has backing from local leaders like Bagha UP Chairman Layeb Uddin Lavlu and Bagha Municipality Mayor Akkas Ali.

Shariar is the state minister for foreign affairs.

Concluding his campaign, Rahenul told reporters he fears poll rigging by the AL candidate. He also submitted complaints of buying votes.

In Rajshahi-4 constituency, the battle will be between AL candidate Abul Kalam Azad and independent candidate Enamul Haque.

The division among grassroots AL leaders at the constituency took a serious turn resulting in clashes during campaigning.

The district witnessed a total 13 cases of pre-polls violence and 10 of those were filed with Bagmara Police Station under the constituency. A total 18 persons were arrested in the cases, police said.

Azad too brought allegations of buying votes against Enamul.

Meanwhile, four schools designated as polling centres came under arson attacks in three constituencies of Rajshahi yesterday.

The schools are Akkelpur High School and Ganipur High School in Bagmara in Rajshahi-4 constituency; Arani Jhina Government Primary School in Rajshahi-6; and Motihar High School of Mohonpur in Rajshahi-3.