January 7 Polls: Rebels to trouble AL big shots

Awami League nomination seekers are in a race among themselves as on average 11 people are vying to get the party ticket in each constituency.

However, party ticket for some constituencies was much sought after, like Chattogram-8 where 26 want it, 20 want it in Chattogram-10, 22 in Netrakona-1, 21 in Narail-2, and 29 in Cumilla-5.

For the 300 constituencies, 3,362 AL leaders, stars, and former bureaucrats collected nomination forms during the four-day sale of nomination forms that began on Saturday. The party earned Tk 16.81 crore selling the forms for Tk 50,000 each.

Even though 675 fewer forms were sold, when compared to the sale ahead of the 2018 polls, the ruling party is fearing infighting among nomination seekers and rebel candidates in the polls scheduled for January 7.

Party sources said if the BNP decided to run at the eleventh hour, the AL would ensure that there is only one party candidate running in each constituency.

But if the BNP does not run, the AL might go soft on the rebels, who are basically AL leaders running as independents, and even encourage them to run so that it might help make the polls appear competitive and festive and could even improve turnout.

If the AL does so, many key leaders and ministers might have to run against their own party colleagues as a good number of AL representatives in local government bodies and local AL leaders collected nomination forms.

AL praesidium member and Deputy Leader of the House Matia Chowdhury, MP from Sherpur-2, could be facing five party men on January 7. Nalitabari upazila Chairman Muksedur Rahman and former bureaucrat Abdur Samad, among others, collected forms for this constituency.

AL praesidium member and Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzaque, MP from Tangail-1, could face three, including AL Education and Human Resources Affairs Secretary Shamsun Nahar Chapa and Madhupur AL General Secretary Sarwar Alam Khan.

Four AL leaders bought forms for Gopalgonj-1, of which AL praesidium member Col (retd) Faruk Khan is the MP. Kashiani upazila Chairman and district AL Joint General Secretary Subrata Thakur, AL national executive committee member Manjurul Haque Lablu, among others, want to run in this constituency with the party ticket.

AL Praesidium Member Shahjahan Khan, MP from Madaripur-2, might have to face competition from party joint general secretary and former MP of Madaripur-3 AFM Bahauddin Nasim and former Chhatra League general secretary Golam Rabbani.

Veteran AL leaders Amir Hossain Amu, MP from Jhalakathi-2, and Tofail Ahmed, MP of Bhola-1, might have to face party rebels this time.

AL Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Hanif, MP from Kushtia-3, might have to deal with veteran jurist Barrister Amir-ul Islam while AL Joint General Secretary Dipu Moni, MP from Chandpur-3, could be facing AL Organising Secretary Sujit Roy Nandi, Chandpur AL President Nasir Uddin Ahmed, and Chandpur General Secretary Abu Nayeem Patowary.

AL Publicity Affair Secretary Abdus Sobhan Golap, MP from Madaripur-3, might have to deal with AFM Bahauddin Nasim, AL central committee member Anowar Hossen, Kalkini upazila Chairman Mir Golam Faruk, and Syed Abul Hasan, younger brother of late communications minister Syed Abul Hossen.

AL Cultural Affair Secretary Ashim Kumar Ukil, MP of Netrokona-3, might have to take on as many as 11 rebels, including Atpara upazila AL President and upazila Chairman Khairul Islam, former MP Ifthaker Uddin.

Former Rajshahi University Chhatra League president Ibrahim Hossain wants to run from Pabna-1 of which Deputy Speaker Shamsul Haque Tuku is the MP.

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, MP from Sylhet-1, might have to deal with Sylhet city AL General Secretary Jakir Hossain.

Law Minister Anisul Huq, MP from Brahmanbaria-4, could be facing as many as six party colleagues, including former MP from the constituency Shah Alam.

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, MP from Cumilla-10, might have to race against Editor of Bangladesh Pratidin Naem Nizam.

AL central committee member Azizus Samad Don, Sunamganj AL Vice President Khairul Kabir Rumel and AL UK General Secretary Syed Sajidur Rahman want the party ticket for Sunamganj-3 of which Planning Minister MA Mannan is the MP.

Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, MP from Rangpur-4, might have to deal with five party rebels, including Kaunia Upazila Chairman Anwarul Islam.

State Minister for Water Resources Zaheed Farooque, MP from Barishal-5, might have to take on party praesidium member Jahangir Kabir Nanak.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam, MP from Rajshahi-6, might have to fend off three AL colleagues.

Jaya Sen Gupta, widow of AL veteran Suranjit Sengupta, MP from Sunamganj-2, could be facing Shalla upazila chairman and upazila AL General Secretary Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mahmud.

Deputy Minister for Water Resources AKM Enamul Haque Shamim, MP from Shariatpur-2 , could have to deal with Jubo League praesidium member Khaled Showkot Ali and war crimes tribunal prosecutor and former joint general secretary of district AL Sultan Mahmud Simon.

Former captain of the Tigers and AL Youth and Sports Affairs Secretary Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, MP from Narail-2, could be dealing with 21 party rebels, including district AL General Secretary Nizam Uddin Khan, Vice President SM Asifur Rahman Bappi, and Joint General Secretary Rashedul Bashar Dollar.

However, some top leaders would not have to face any competition from within the party as only one form was bought in those constituencies.

AL President Sheikh Hasina, MP of Gopalgonj-3, party General Secretary Obaidul Quader, MP of Noakhali-5, praesidium member Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, MP of Gopalgonj-2, Joint General Secretary Hasan Mahmud, MP of Chattogram-7, central committee member Abul Hasanat Abdullah, MP of Barishal-1, Railway Minister Nurul Islam Sujan, MP of Panchagarh-2, and State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, MP of Dinajpur-2 will face no party rebels.

Hasina also bought a nomination form for Rangpur-6. She, in the last two elections, ran from Rangpur-6. Later, Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury won from this constituency. Shirin and local AL leader Sirajul Islam also collected party forms for Rangpur-6.

The AL Nomination Board will sit at the Dhaka district office in Tejgaon tomorrow to decide who gets to run with the AL electoral symbol in the 300 constituencies.

The meeting may continue for a few days. On the first day, it will pick party nominees for constituencies in Rajshahi, Rangpur, and Khulna divisions.

After finalising the party nominees, the AL will sit with its partners in the 14-party alliance to negotiate seat sharing.

December 17 is the deadline for withdrawing candidature.