All three candidates for army deployment

L-R: Amanur Rahman Khan Rana, Shahidul Islam Lebu, Abu Yusuf Abdullah Tuhin

With the November 18 byelection drawing near, all the three candidates in Tangail-3 (Ghatail) constituency have urged deployment of army to ensure a free and fair voting.
Earlier, the Election Commission (EC) identified 67 polling centres out of the total 96 in the constituency risky.
The parliamentary seat fell vacant after the death of ruling Awami League (AL) lawmaker Dr Matiur Rahman on September 14.
The AL Parliamentary Board nominated Shahidul Islam Lebu, former general secretary of Ghatail upazila unit of AL, as the party candidate but Tangail district AL Religious Affairs Secretary Amanur Rahman Khan Rana is also in the polls race as an independent candidate.
Rana was one of the six nomination seekers from the AL for the byelection.
Jatiya Party (JP-Ershad) backed candidate Syed Abu Yousuf Abdullah Tuhin is another candidate in the bypolls.
No candidate from main opposition BNP is contesting the byelection.
At a press conference held at the Reporters' Unity in Dhaka on Saturday, Amanur Rahman Khan Rana said, "I am participating in the by election with pineapple symbol and getting good response from people. But Shahidul Islam Lebu and his supporters are threatening my supporters in various ways."
“In this situation army should be deployed to hold the election free and fair,” Rana said.
He also drew attention of the EC for taking steps against 'biased attitude' of the local administration and police.
AL nominated candidate Shahidul Islam Lebu in a view exchange meeting with the local journalists on Saturday also demanded deployment of army and BGB in the election to save the party voters from the 'criminals' of independent candidate Amanur Rahman Khan Rana, resist activities of the outsiders and hold the election fair.
Talking to the journalists, Jatiya Party (Ershad) nominated candidate Syed Abu Yousuf Abdullah Tuhin said, "Deployment of army is needed to ensure security of the voters and hold a free and fair election, especially against the backdrop of the tension due to the activities of the two other candidates."
Asked about the matter, Syed Khurshid Anwar, returning officer of the byelection, also election officer of Mymensingh region, said, "The situation in Tangail-3 constituency ahead of the byelection is still calm and nice. None of the three candidates submitted any application to me regarding the demand of army deployment here. And I do not want to make any comment in this regard as the EC is the authority to take decision on the matter."
Electioneering by 'rebel' AL candidate Amanur Rahman Khan Rana, who enjoys support of a good number of local party leaders and activists, is likely to make the by-election a contesting one, despite boycott by the main opposition BNP.
The large constituency is now buzzing with activities as the three candidates are going door to door to woe voters.
On November 4, several central leaders of AL including presidium member Jafarullah, joint secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif and organising secretary Ahmad Hossain went to Ghatail and addressed a party meeting there.
In the meeting, AL leader Hanif warned 'rebel' candidate Rana of expulsion from the party if he does not withdraw his candidature within three days while Rana on the same day declared that he will be on the polls race as a 'candidate of Ghatail people'.
The same day, Azmol Hossain, convener of Ghatail upazila unit AL, and Hasan Ali, its joint convener, were expelled from the party for supporting 'rebel' candidate Rana and the convening committee of upazila AL was simultaneously dissolved.
Two days later the central unit of Jubo League issued a letter, declaring the Ghatail upazila unit of the organisation dissolved.