Bangladesh News

Awami League (AL) may review party nominations in a number of constituencies following AL grassroots’ discontent with party picks and since the party now has the time to address the issue.

Meanwhile, AL President Sheikh Hasina and LDP President Col (retd) Oli Ahmed submitted their nomination papers for Bagerhat-1, Rangpur-6 and Chittagong-13, Chittagong-14 constituencies.

AL Parliamentary Board headed by Sheikh Hasina has kept all candidates’ signatures on nomination withdrawal forms, sources said.

Many party leaders believe that party picks were not appropriate in many constituencies as a good number of party men who are relatively fresh, young and apparently unknown to local leaders and workers received party tickets.

“Considering candidate’s popularity and acceptability among locals, party picks in many constituencies will be changed before the deadline for nomination withdrawal expires,” said a member of the AL Parliamentary Board preferring not to be named.

AL Presidium member Matia Chowdhury yesterday said they would revise their nominations since they got three more days for submitting nomination papers. Talking to reporters in front of Sudha Sadan, she also said the party has not finished giving all the nominations yet.

A number of party leaders, including AL organising secretaries Mahmudur Rahman Manna, Akhtaruzzaman, Sultan Mohammad Mansur Ahmed, AKM Jahangir Hossain and Prof Abu Sayeed, not getting party tickets also flared dissatisfaction among AL grassroots in their constituencies.

Protests against party picks have been going on in different constituencies. Some of the central leaders told The Daily Star that AL might face a debacle in a number of constituencies if the party fails to deal with this discontent.

AL has changed its nominations in Faridpur-1, Panchagarh-1 and Chandpur-1 constituencies. AL had nominated Kazi Seraj, Mirza Golam Erphan Babu and Ayat Ali Patwari in the constituencies but later replaced two of them with AL Organising Secretary Abdur Rahman and Mazharul Haque Pradhan considering the grassroots demand.

If the AL-led 14-party contests the elections under an electoral alliance with Jatiya Party and Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), AL would have to bring changes to its nominations in at least 70 constituencies according to the consensus reached about sharing of seats.

A delegation of LDP led by its president Col (retd) Oli Ahmed and Secretary General Prof Jahanara Begum met AL President Sheikh Hasina yesterday. Briefing newsmen after the hour-long meeting at Sudha Sadan, both AL and LDP leader said they would take part in the elections under a grand electoral alliance and form government together if they win.

LDP leaders however said they would take part in the polls alone if BNP stayed away from elections.

NOMINATION SUBMISSION STARTS
Leaders of different political parties including AL and Jatiya Party (JP) started submitting nomination papers at local election offices across the country yesterday with enthusiasm and spontaneity. AL President Sheikh Hasina’s nomination papers were submitted by party men in Bagerhat-1 and Rangpur-6 constituencies.

JP acting Chairman barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud and Presidium member Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu submitted nomination papers in Chittagong-5 and -4 constituencies.

Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) President Oli Ahmed submitted nominations for Chittagong-13 and Chittagong-14 constituencies. However, his son and LDP leader Omar Faruk also submitted nomination papers for Chittagong-13.

AL Presidium member Amir Hossain Amu filed nomination papers for Jhalakathi-2,

AL spokesman Syed Ashraful Islam submitted his nomination papers for Kishoreganj-1, Abdul Hamid for Kishoreganj-4, Rahmat Ali for Gazipur-3, Meher Afroz Chumki for Gazipur-5, Bir Bahadur for Bandarban, Keramat Ali for Rajbari-1, Mahbubul Alam Hanif for Kushtia-2, Afaz Uddin for Kushtia-1 and Khondokar Rashiduzzaman Dudu for Kushtia-3, Joynal Abedin for Meherpur-1, Romesh Chandra Sen for Thakurgaon-1, ABM Fazle Karim Chowdhury for Chittagong-5, MA Salam for Chittagong-4, Nurul Islam for Chittagong-8, Shamsul Haque Chowdhury for Chittagong-11, Air vice-marshal (retd) AK Khandaker for Pabna-2, Mohammad Mokbul Hossain for Pabna-3, Shamsur Rahman Sarif Dilu for Pabna-4, Golam Faruk Princh for Pabna-5, Mizanur Rahman Mizan for Khulna-2, Fazley Rabbi for Gaibandha-5, Shahjahan Mia for Patuakhali-1, Golam Moula Roni for Patuakhali-3, Brig Gen (retd) Enamul Haque for Chapainawabganj-1 and Ziaur Rahman for Chapainawabganj-2, according to reports from our district correspondents.

Major Gen (retd) Hafiz Mallik for Barisal-6, BH Harun for Jhalakathi-1, Dhirendra Devnath Shamvu for Barguna-1, Golam Sabur Tulu for Barguna-2, Mahbubur Rahman for Patuakhali-4, Shahriar Alam for Rajshahi-4 and Enamul Haque for Rajshahi-6, Khandoker Mosharraf Hossain for Faridpur-3, Editor of Bangladesh Observer Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury for Feni-2, Lt Col (retd) Noor Khan for Netrokona-3, Rebaka Momen for Netrokona-4, Waresat Hossain Belal for Netrokona-5, Abul Kalam Azad for Jamalpur-1, Faridul Haque Khan Dulal for Jamalpur-2, Murad Hasan for Jamalpur-4 and Rezaul Karim Hira for Jamalpur-5 also submitted their nomination papers.

Leader of Palli Bidyut Unnayan Sangram Parishad (PBUSP) Golam Rabbani submitted his nomination papers for Chapainawabganj-1 constituency from Gono Forum.

Kazi Farque Ahmed, chairperson of newly-floated United Citizens’ Movement (UCM) and chief of Proshika, submitted his nomination papers for Khulna-2 and Khulna-5 constituencies.