AL, BNP to lock horns in 11 out of 16 Ctg seats

Eleven of the 16 constituencies in Chittagong district are going to see the main contest between nominees from BNP and Awami League while candidates from BNP and grand alliance partners are major contenders in two seats.
AL candidates will face major fight with Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in one seat and with four-party alliance partner Jamaat in another seat in the district while a triangular fight is likely in one city seat.
Major fight between four-party alliance candidates from BNP and grand alliance candidates from Awami League would take place in six constituencies, out of seven, in Chittagong (North) area.
The seats are Chittagong-1 (Mirer Sarai), Chittagong-2 (Fatikchhari), Chittagong-3 (Sitakunda and CCC ward No 9 and 10) Chittagong-5 (Raozan), Chittagong-6 and Chittagong-16 (Sandwip).
BNP candidates in these seats are 'new face' Prof Md Kamal Uddin Chowdhury (Chittagong-1), Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury (Chittagong-2 and 6), 'new face' Md Aslam Chowdhury (Chittagong-3) Giasuddin Quader Chowdhury (Chittagong-5) and Mostafa Kamal Pasha (Chittagong-16).
Their rivals from Awami League in these seats are engineer Mosharraf Hossain (Chittagong-1), 'new face' ATM Peyarul Islam (Chittagong-2), ABM Abul Kashem (Chittagong-3), ABM Fazle Karim Chowdhury (Chittagong-5), 'new face' Dr Hasan Mahmud (Chittagong-6) and Dr Jamal Uddin Chowdhury (Chittagong-16). In Chittagong- 4 (Hathazari and CCC wards 1 and 2) under Chittagong (North), main fight will take place between grand alliance candidate from Jatiya Party (JP-Ershad) barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud) and former BNP whip Syed Wahidul Alam.
With the creation of Chittagong-10 (Bandar-Patenga) following the re-demarcation, the number of seats in the city rose to four from previous three Chittagong-7 (Chandgaon-Boalkhali), Chittagong-8 (Kotwali), Chittagong-9 (Double Mooring Pahartali).
BNP is likely to face major contest with Awami League candidate in Chittagong-8 and Chittagong-10 and with grand alliance candidate from Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) in Chittagong-7.
BNP candidates for these seats are 'new face' Shamsul Alam, former minister Amir Khosru Mahmud and 'new face' Ershad Ullah while their rivals are AL leaders Nurul Islam, AL new face MA Latif and JSD Executive President Mainuddin Khan Badal respectively.
In the other city seat Chittagong-9, a tough fight is likely to take place among BNP stalwart Abdullah Al Noman, AL candidate Dr Afsarul Amin, strong independent candidate and immediate past acting CCC mayor M Manjur Alam and 'new face' Morshed Murad Ibrahim, the grand alliance candidate from JP (Ershad).
Major fight between AL and BNP candidates would take place in three seats, out of five, in Chittagong (South) area.
BNP former lawmakers Gazi Md Shahjahan Jewel, Sarwar Jamal Nizam and Jafrul Islam Chowdhury will face grand alliance candidates from AL Shamsul Islam Chowdhury, Akhteru-zzaman Chowdhury (Babu) and Sultanul Kabir Chowdhury in major contest in Chittagong-11 (Patiya), Chittagong-12 (Anowara) and Chittagong-15 (Banshkhali) respectively.
AL nominated grand alliance candidates Afsar Uddin Ahmad and 'new face' advocate AKM Sirajul Islam will be engaged in major fight with LDP Chairman Col (retd) Oli Ahmad and four-party alliance candidate Jamaat leader Moulana Shamsul Islam in Chittagong-13 (Chanda-naish-Satkania) and Chittagong-14 (Lohagara-Satkania) respectively.