AL, BNP freshers face strong rivals in Tangail-2,3,4,6

Clockwise: Kader Siddiqui, Shamsur Rahman Khan Shajahan, Lutfar Rahman Azad, Goutam Chakrabarty, Sultan Salauddin Tuku, Ashraful Islam Titu, Latif Siddiqui and Matiur Rahman Chowdhury.

The four new faces fielded by Awami League (AL) and BNP in four constituencies in Tangail will have to fight strong rivals and rebel party candidates in the upcoming national elections.
Besides strong BNP rivals, AL's two new faces in Tangail-3 (Ghtail) and Tangail-6 (Nagarpur-Delduar) will face rebel party colleagues who are in the race as independent candidates.
In Tangail-3 (Ghtail), AL nominated cardiologist Dr Motiur Rahman Chowdhury to contest 'strong' BNP candidate former state minister Lutfar Rahman Khan Azad, who won the seat in 1991, 1996 and 2001 elections.
Beside Azad, Motiur will have to fight independent runner rebel party colleague Shamsur Rahman Khan Shajahan, president of Tangail district AL who lost last three elections to Azad.
Krishak Shramik Janata League (KSJL) president Abdul Kader Siddiqui Bir Uttam will also contest from the constituency as a KSJL candidate.
In Tangail-6 (Nagarpur-Delduar), AL nominated Ahsanul Islam Titu to contest 'strong' BNP candidate former state minister Gautam Chakroborty, won from the seat in 1996 and 2001 elections.
Titu will also face party colleague and independent candidate Freedom Fighter Khandakar Abdul Baten who lost the last two elections as an AL candidate with narrow margins.
Although AL has good organisational strength in both the constituencies, the party men have already been divided into two groups over candidature, party insiders said.
BNP has also fielded two new faces in Tangail-2 (Bhuapur-Gopalpur) and Tangail-4 (Kalihati), who will face 'strong' AL candidates who lost to BNP candidates with narrow margins 2001 election.
In Tangail-2 (Gopalpur-Bhuapur), BNP nominated senior vice president of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) Sultan Salahuddin Tuku in place of his elder brother former deputy minister Abdus Salam Pintu, a charge-sheeted accused in the case for August 21 grenade attack on Sheikh Hasina's rally in the capital. Abdus Salam Pintu is in jail.
Tuku will fight 'strong' AL candidate Khandakar Asaduzzaman, who lost to Salam Pintu with a margin of 2274 votes in 2001 election.
The only woman candidate in the district, Khaleda Habib, daughter of prominent educationist late Principal Ibrahim Kha, will also contest from the constituency as a KSJL candidate.
In Tangail-4 (Kalihati), BNP nominated industrialist Lutfar Rahman Matin in place of former minister Shajahan Siraj, absconding after conviction in corruption cases under Emergency Power Rules (EPR).
New face Matin will fight AL candidate Abdul Latif Siddiqui, who lost to Shajahan Siraj with a margin of 5138 votes in 2001 election.
AL candidate Latif Siddiqui's younger brother Azad Siddiqui will also contest from the constituency as a KSJL candidate.