Candidates' reputations proving crucial

L-R: Mostafa Mohiuddin and Nasiruddin Pintu

Personal reputation of candidates contesting December 29 parliamentary election from Dhaka-7 will be an important factor in getting votes as the profiles of the previous lawmakers of the constituency were tainted by allegations of crime and corruption.
Haji Muhammad Selim of Awami League (AL) and Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu of BNP reigned in the area during the rules of their parties.
Selim went into hiding after promulgation of the state of emergency while Pintu is behind bars. Both the former lawmakers face many criminal charges.
This time the AL nominated new face Dr Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin. But the BNP again nominated Pintu, who recently created controversy by beating up a deputy jailer. Pintu's wife Nasima Akhter Kalpana is campaigning on behalf of her husband.
Besides these two aspirants, 11 more candidates are contesting the polls in the constituency, which consists of Lalbagh and Kotwali areas.
Talking to The Daily Star, many voters in the area including businessmen, women and first time voters said they are evaluating the candidates in terms of competence and honesty.
They said this time they would cast votes not just for party symbols but the honest and clean candidate.
Voters are discussing the allegations against Pintu including his involvement in corruption, extortion and attempt to grab land at Azimpur Graveyard although the BNP is considering AL candidate Jalal's lack of communication with the people of the constituency as a plus point for their campaign.
Pintu is facing 10 cases, in two of which deposition of witnesses is undergoing, three are being investigated and the date to frame charges has been fixed in one case while the High Court stayed four others.
After re-demarcation of constituencies, Kotwali thana was added to Lalbagh to constitute Dhaka-7. The main vote chunk of this area is in Lalbagh, which earlier was part of Dhaka-8 constituency.
The previous three parliamentary elections saw change of the lawmaker from the constituency. In 1991, Lt Gen (retd) Mir Shawkat Ali was elected with BNP ticket; in 1996, AL's candidate Haji Selim won the battle and in 2001, Pintu came out victorious.
In the last election, Pintu beat Selim by a small margin of 1,087 votes, securing 89,784 votes. In 1996, Selim beat BNP candidate barrister Abul Hasnat by 19,275 votes, securing 77,642 votes.
Ashraf Uddin, a trader and a resident of Haranath Saha road in Lalbagh area, told The Daily Star that voters would keep in mind the allegations against Pintu. Another resident, Mohamamd Ali said, "We will cast votes for a gentle, honest and competent person."
Md Shamim Islam, a resident of Haji Rahim Bux lane, said there are many problems in the area like crises of water and electricity supply but lawmakers of successive governments did not solve those problems.
"This time we will cast votes for someone who seems to be able to solve our problems and work for people's welfare," he said, adding, "We will not cast votes for symbols this time. We will evaluate candidates' efficiency and honesty...People of the area want change."
BNP activists claimed that as a lawmaker Pintu did a lot of development work in the area and expressed hope that Pintu would be elected again.
"Pintu bhai has been in jail for about two years without any logical reason, which would draw people's sympathy," said Pintu's political secretary Rafiqul Islam Khan.
AL men, on the other hand, said Jalal would come victorious because he has no allegation of corruption against him and is known as a gentle, honest person and politically prudent.
Election fever is sweeping Lalbagh area with campaigns of both the candidates going on in full swing.