Poll dreams over for many AL stalwarts

Clockwise from top left: Mohammad Nasim, Engineer Mosharraf Hossain, Dr Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, Sheikh Helal, Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya and Abul Hasnat Abdullah.

Awami League (AL) yesterday finalised its nominations for the December 18 national polls, leaving out a good number of party bigwigs apparently for conviction under emergency power rules, post-1/11 role, and allegations of corruption and patronising crime.
The same day the party began issuing formal letters to those picked to be on its ticket. As of 11:00pm, some 150 candidates including over 35 new faces and 10 women received their papers at party President Sheikh Hasina's Sudha Sadan residence.
Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, Kazi Zafarullah, Mohammad Nasim, Salman F Rahman, Abul Hasnat Abdullah, Mofazzel Hossain Chowdhury Maya, Sheikh Helaluddin, Shamim Osman, Engineer Mosharraf Hossain, Syed Abul Hossain, Maqbul Hossain, HBM Iqbal, Hazi Selim, Mostafa Rashidi Suja, Abu Taher, Bahauddin Nasim and Pankaj Debnath are among those kept out for conviction, graft charges and links to organised crime, said party sources.
Several mid-level central leaders have been excluded for their abortive bid to bring About intra-party reforms following the changeover of January 11 last year that saw Hasina detained for about 11 months.
They include Joint General Secretary Mukul Bose, organising secretaries Mahmudur Rahman Manna, Akhtaruzzaman, Sultan Mohammad Mansur Ahmed and Abdur Rahman, Health and Population Affairs Secretary Dr Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin, Youth and Sports Secretary Dewan Shafiul Arefin Tutul, central committee members Prof Abu Sayeed and AKM Jahangir Hossain, and Jubo League Chairman Jahangir Kabir Nanak.
Presidium members Amir Hossain Amu, Abdur Razzak, Tofail Ahmed and Suranjit Sengupta however had no trouble securing nominations despite widely held perception that they were the brains behind the pro-reform efforts, added the sources.
Throughout the day yesterday, contrasting moods reigned in front of the AL chief's residence on Dhanmondi Road-5. While supporters of those chosen for nominations rejoiced at the success, followers of the leaders who did not get the nod staged demonstrations.
Jahangir Hossain's men held presidium member Zillur Rahman's car for about 10 minutes while the veteran Awami Leaguer was coming out of Sudha Sadan last night.
Besides, aggrieved workers demonstrated against the nomination decisions in Bogra, Rajshahi, Patuakhali, Natore, Chandpur, Comilla, Kushtia and some other places.
Freshers among the nomination getters include Mirza Golam Erfan Babu, son of BNP leader and former speaker Mirza Golam Hafiz, Tanvir Shakil Joy, son of AL leader Mohammad Nasim, Iqbalur Rahim, son of former AL lawmaker Abdur Rahim, Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, son of former AL state minister Abdur Rouf Chowdhury, and Nazrul Islam Babu, former general secretary of Bangladesh Chhatra League.
The female nominees are Dr Dipu Moni, Sagufta Yasmin Emily, Meher Afroz Chumki, Monnujan Sufian, Kabari Sarwar, Zannat Ara Henry, Shefali Mamtaz, Nasima Banu, Habibunnahar Khaleque and Sultana Tarun.
According to AL sources, the parliamentary board headed by AL President Sheikh Hasina did not consider names sent from the grassroots level while settling on nominations for some constituencies.
The party will finalise seat sharing with partners in the 14-party alliance today.
Components of the combine yesterday handed AL their lists of candidates. Workers Party has sought nominations for nine of its leaders, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal for 18, Gonotantri Party for five and Samyabadi Dal for one.
Earlier in the morning, Canadian High Commissioner Robert McDougal met Hasina. The AL chief told the envoy that her party is ready for the December 18 election.
Meanwhile, Sultan Mansur and Abdur Rahman met Hasina late last night. Later, Sultan Mansur told reporters that nomination for his constituency has not yet been settled. "Though some names have been heard, I don't know any of them."
Rahman said, "The truth will triumph over lies."