Bangladesh News

The two electoral alliances led by the Awami League (AL) and the BNP have for the first time picked a number of fresh less known persons as their candidates for city constituencies in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

The two alliances faced difficulties in finding suitable candidates as many of their former lawmakers are either convicted or have been fugitive since declaration of the state of emergency. Increase in the number of constituencies from 8 to 15 in the capital is also another reason for the crisis of candidates.

Under the circumstances both the AL and BNP have even had to hire a few candidates from other districts.

The BNP has picked nine new faces while the AL has nominated seven.

AL policymakers believe their new candidates can win the election battle because most of them do not have any mentionable bad image. But BNP leaders said they fear a dismal show in some seats because their candidates are not much known to the constituents.

The BNP hired former lawmakers of Munshiganj Abdul Hye for Dhaka-4 and Hamidullah Khan for Dhaka-15, Rafiqul Islam Mia of Comilla for Dhaka-16, Hannan Shah of Gazipur for Dhaka-17 and Moazzem Hossain Alal of Barisal for Dhaka-13.

Habibunnabi Khan Sohel who contested the 2001 election from Rangpur is now contesting from Dhaka-8 while Azizul Bari Helal who got nomination in the stalled January 22 polls has been nominated from Dhaka-18.

Shirin Sultana who is contesting at Dhaka-9 seat was a former lawmaker of the reserved seats. MA Qaiyum who got nomination for Dhaka-10 is the ward councillor of his own constituency.

BNP candidate Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu is taking part in the poll from jail.

Of the less known candidates of the AL-led grand alliance, Shyampur AL General Secretary Sanjida Khanam is contesting from Dhaka-4, businessman Mizanur Rahman Khan Dipu from Dhaka-6, Tejgaon unit AL President Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal from Dhaka-11, AL President Sheikh Hasina’s nephew barrister Fazle Noor Taposh from Dhaka-12, Jubo League Chairman Jahangir Kabir Nanak from Dhaka-13, and member of AL city committee Aslamul Haque Aslam from Dhaka-14.

The AL has shared three constituencies with Jatiya Party (JP) and Workers Party because of lack of its own candidates. The party nominated JP President HM Ershad at Dhaka-17, Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon at Dhaka-8 and JP leader Syed Abu Hossain Babla at Dhaka-5.

“We had no alternative to picking new faces in some constituencies since there were no popular candidates. But new faces were nominated after being confident that they will come out victorious,” AL Presidium member Matia Chowdhury told The Daily Star.

“As the areas of constituencies in the capital are smaller, we hope these new leaders will be able to communicate with the voters of their own constituencies,” she said. Matia played an important role in nominating party candidates across the country.