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Download PDF Jamaat-e-Islami is now threatening its ruling partner BNP with putting up candidates in 40 seats against those of the alliance in the next election if BNP includes Jatiya Party (JP-Ershad) in the coalition.
With this strategy Jamaat wants to confirm at least 50 seats, including the 31 of the last election, for itself in the next poll, sources said.
“We will seek at least 60 seats in the next election as our party is more strengthened now and we have enough good candidates,” Jamaat Joint Secretary General Muhammad Qamaruzzaman told The Daily Star Monday.
Jamaat is very much serious against the possible inclusion of JP-Ershad in the coalition. “We think the four-party coalition is strong enough to win the election,” Qamaruzzaman said.
Sources said Jamaat is now utilising its local and foreign lobbies to prevent BNP’s plan to include Ershad’s JP in the coalition.
Already informed of the Jamaat initiative, the BNP high-ups want to face any foreign pressure by using JP chief Ershad’s so-called Middle East link, sources said, adding that the two sides in a secret deal agreed to face this jointly.
Ershad will visit Saudi Arabia in the last week of this month.
Qamaruzzaman, however, said Jamaat does not allow any foreign interference in its politics.
Besides seeking 60 seats in the next election, the Jamaat high command has selected at least 40 seats where the incumbent lawmakers were elected from the BNP, Islami Oikya Jote (IOJ) and Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP). It has asked its leaders to continue their activities in these constituencies for the next election.
“Our leaders and candidates are working in their areas but the four-party coalition leadership will finalise everything through discussion,” the Jamaat leader told The Daily Star.
Jamaat is working to ensure its dominance in the coalition by keeping control over 60 seats directly and 40 more indirectly. Jamaat leaders think this will help them be in command of the next election.
Party sources said Jamaat has targeted 40 seats in Cox’s Bazar, Chittagong, Laxmipur, Comilla, Sylhet, Faridpur, Rajbari, Mymensingh, Jessore, Jhenidah, Kushtia, Meherpur, Sirajganj and Chapainawabganj won by BNP, IOJ and BJP in the last election.
BNP lawmakers Alamgir Md Mahfuzullah Farid, Mohammad Shahiduzzaman and Shahjahan Chowdhury from Cox’s Bazar, Whip Syed Wahidul Alam and Col (retd) Oli Ahmed from Chittagong, Abul Khayer Bhuiyan and Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anny from Laxmipur, Kazi Mofazzal Hossain Kaykobad from Comilla-3, Dr Mokbul Hossain from Sylhet-6, Food and Disaster Management Minister Chowdhury Kamal Ibne Eusuf and his brother Akman Ibne Eusuf from Faridpur, Nasirul Huq Sabu from Rajabari-2, Khairul Kabir Khokon from Narsingdi-1, Shamsuddin Ahmed from Mymensingh-6, Habibul Islam Habib from Satkhira-1, Nurul Islam from Khulna-4, MH Selim from Bagerhat-2, Ali Qader from Jessore-1, Mashiur Rahman, Shahidul Islam and Shahiduzzaman Beltu from Jhenidah, Prof Shahidul Islam and Syed Mehedi Ahmed Rumi from Kushtia, Akbar Ali and Justice Mozammel Huq from Sirajganj, Prof Shahjahan Miah and Harunur Rashid from Chapainawabganj are among those targeted by Jamaat.
Coalition partners IOJ and BJP lawmakers MA Matin, Kazi Anwar Hossian, M Aminuddin, Kazi Alauddin, Mufti Shahidul Islam are also on the list.
Jamaat will also seek seats in other constituencies, including Gaibandha-3, Kurigram-4, Rangpur-1, 2 and 5, and Lalmonirhat-2, where the present lawmakers were elected from the JP-Ershad. It will also seek Awami League lawmakers’ seats in Lalmonirhat-1, Nilphamari-2, Thakurgaon-2, Bagherhat-3, Jessore-6, Sherpur-1 and Madaripur-3.
They are also planning to seek Dinajpur-1 and Moulvibazar-2 seats of independent lawmakers Monoranjan Shil and MM Shahin.
Sources said Jamaat officially handed over the list of these seats to BNP high command. Jamaat leader Abdul Qader Mollah met the prime minister on Sunday and informed her about his party’s view on the election.
He later told reporters that there is no need to expand the coalition now.
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