AL men in Ctg, Rajshahi call to review some nominations

Leaders and supporters of Awami League (AL) here expressed mixed reaction over party nomination in some constituencies while a few of those nominated are still in doubt as heavyweight alliance leaders are seeking to get those.
A number of leaders and activists of AL Sandwip upazila at a press conference here yesterday (Friday) demanded that the AL central committee review the nomination for Chittagong-16 (Sandwip) seat.
They urged the AL Parliamentary Board to nominate Mahfuzur Rahman Mita, son of former lawmaker Mostafizur Rahman, cancelling the present nomination.
Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) leader Dr Jamal Uddin Chowdhury got the AL ticket to vie for the parliamentary seat.
Member of AL Chittagong North District unit Md Rafiqul Islam read the written statement at the press conference held at Chittagong Press Club (CPC).
Around fifty leaders from north district, upazila and different union units of AL and its front organisations were present at the conference.
Meanwhile, already declared nomination of businessman Abdus Salam for Chittagong-7 (Boalkhali- Chandgaon) seat may be changed as Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) Executive President Mainuddin Khan Badal is trying to get alliance nomination for the seat.
Leaders of six city ward committees of AL under the constituency at another press conference at CPC on Thursday night urged the AL central committee not to give the seat to alliance partners.
Hailing AL chief Sheikh Hasina for nominating Abdus Salam for the seat they said the decision was the reflection of wishes of grass roots leaders and activists.
AL nominees could never win the seat before as the party failed to select a competent candidate, they said.
Terming JSD leader Mainuddin unfit for the seat they said AL would lose the seat if the nomination is changed in favour of the JSD leader.
Former Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan won the seat thrice with BNP ticket in last three parliamentary elections.
As Morshed, who has been convicted in a graft case recently, lost his eligibility to stand in the election BNP is in search of a competent candidate for the seat.
Sources said BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia might contest for the constituency.
Supporters of AL nominee for Chittagong-4 (Hathazari) MA Salam are also in a fix as Jatiya Party acting Chairman Anisul Islam Mahmud is seeking the seat from AL.
JP wanted that three of its candidates be given nominations by the alliance in Chittagong-4 (Hathazari), Chittagong-5 (Raozan) and Chittagong-9 (Double Mooring) seats.
Our Rajshahi Correspondent adds: Rajshahi district Awami League yesterday demanded reconsideration of the grassroots opinions for party nominations in three Rajshahi constituencies and cancellation of the party tickets to 'outsider' businessmen.
Hundreds of the party leaders and activists in a press conference held at Miapara Public Library in the afternoon threatened to resign en masse if their demand is not met.
They also threatened to sue the party high command for violating its own constitution and the Representation of the People Order (RPO) ignoring grassroots opinion and giving nominations to outsiders.
“We will wait for the reconsideration until the last date of filing nominations. If our demand is not met, we will resign en masse and then we will take legal actions”, said Rajshahi district AL president Tajul Islam M Faruk.
Nomination seekers Raihanul Haque, Bazlur Rahman, Sajjad Hossain Mukul and Abdus Samad attended the press conference along with hundreds of supporters while elderly politician Sardar Amjad Hossain expressed his solidarity over mobile phone from Dhaka.
They said the party nominations to outsider businessmen would contaminate politics and discourage the politicians that would result in irreparable loss to the party.
They alleged that AL Parliamentary Board has violated Section 90B of the RPO in nominating other than those selected by the grassroots.
“If present AL nominations are not changed, all the efforts of last two years for eliminating influence of money from elections will turn futile”, former district AL vice president Abdus Samad said.
They demanded the party nominations for Sardar Amjad Hossain at Rajshahi-4 (Bagmara), Tajul Islam M Faruk at Rajshahi-5 (Puthiya-Durgapur) and Raihanul Haque at Rajshahi-6 (Bagha-Charghat) for they were voted the highest in grassroots opinion polls.
AL Parliamentary board has nominated industrialists Enamul Haque, Kazi Abdul Wadud Dara and Shahriar Alam who have already submitted their nomination papers to the election office.
Meanwhile, five deprived nomination seekers of Awami League at Rajshahi-6 constituency on Thursday lodged complaints with Rajshahi Returning Officer Shefaul Karim that the party nominated newcomer-businessmen violating the RPO and party constitution.
In the complaint, AL nomination seekers Raihanul Haque, Abdus Samad, Saiful Islam Badsha, Layeb Uddin Lablu and Bazlur Rahman said, they were selected in party meetings through votes of grassroots leaders.
But violating the party's amended constitution that made it mandatory to nominate one of the five leaders selected by the grassroots, the party nominated Shahriar Alam who is not even a member of the party.