Staff Correspondent
Some 32 high profile candidates of the alliances led by Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Awami League and other parties face off in more than a dozen constituencies in the December 29 parliamentary elections.
Two former finance ministers – BNP’s standing committee member M Saifur Rahman and AL’s advisory committee member Abul Maal Abdul Muhith – will fight it out in the Sylhet 1 constituency. The constituency is considered important by both AL and BNP.
Hussain Muhammad Ershad, former president and chairman of Jatiya Party, a major partner of the AL-led alliance, and ASM Hannan Shah, BNP chairperson’s adviser, are vying for the Dhaka 17 constituency.
Although Syed Mohammad Ibrahim, chairman of Bangladesh Kalyan Party, which was formed during the state of emergency, is the other notable candidate for the seat, locals believe he may end up an also-ran and that it will be a contest between Ershad and Hannan Shah. All there are former army officials.
Ershad faces Tajul Islam, a former minister of his government who later joined BNP, in Kurigram 2 constituency.
Former president and chief of Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury, ex-deputy prime minister and BNP leader Shah Moazzem Hossain and AL leader Sukumer Ranjan Ghosh are in the race for Munshiganj 1 seat.
Dhaka mayor and BNP leader Sadek Hossain Khoka faces two formidable rivals – Badruddoza Chowdhury and AL leader Mizanur Rahman Khan – in Dhaka 6 constituency.
Former minister and BNP’s top leader Moudud Ahmed will fight it out with AL leader and former state minister Obaidul Kader in Noakhali 5.
Rashed Khan Menon, president of Workers Party and a firebrand student leader of early 1960s, and Habib-Un Nabi Sohel, former president of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, have crossed swords for the Dhaka 8 constituency. Menon is contesting the polls with AL’s symbol ‘boat’ while Sohel is the nominee of BNP.
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s secretary general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojahid, nominated by the BNP-led alliance, faces two formidable rivals – BNP’s rebel candidate and former minister Chowdhury Kamal Ibne Yusuf and AL leader and brother-in-law of Sheikh Hasina, Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain – in Faridpur 3 constituency.
Begum Rawshan Ershad, presidium member of Jatiya Party and wife of HM Ershad, and AKM Mosharraf Hossain, former state minister in BNP-Jamaat government, face off in Mymensingh 4 constituency.
BNP’s standing committee member and senior lawyer Khandaker Mahbubuddin Ahmed
and young lawyer Fazle Nur Tapash of AL are vying for the Dhaka 12 constituency.
Rajshahi mayor and BNP leader Mizanur Rahman Minu and Workers Party’s politburo member Fazle Hossain Badsha are in the race for the Rajshahi 2 seat. Badsha is contesting the polls with AL’s symbol ‘boat’.
GM Kader, Jatiya Party presidium member and Ershad’s brother, and Asadul Habib Dulu, former state minister of BNP-Jamaat government, will fight it out in Lalmonirhat 3 while Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, former minister of AL government, and Ehsanul Haque Milon, former state minister of BNP-led government, are vying for Chandpur 1.
Juba League president Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Juba Dal general secretary Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal have crossed swords in Dhaka 13 as voters expect a tough contest between the two youth leaders coming from greater Barisal region.
Two well-known brothers and industrialists in northern districts – Karim Uddin Bharasha of Jatiya Party and Rahim Uddin Bharasha of BNP – are vying for the Rangpur 4 constituency. Karim defeated Rahim in the 1996 and 2001 elections. Like in the past, locals look forward to the battle between the siblings with great interest. Karim has been nominated by the AL-led grand alliance but AL leader Tipu Munshi is also vying for the seat with the symbol ‘boat’.
Two cousins – Giasuddin Quader Chowdhury of BNP and ABM Fazle Karim Chowdhury of AL – have locked horns for Chittagong 5 constituency.
Courtesy: newagebd.com
