Who is the BNP candidate in Chandpur municipality election!Finally, all speculations have come to an end and the postponement is going to be held on Saturday, October 10.
Election of Chandpur Municipality. The Election Commission of Bangladesh (EC) on Thursday issued a notification in this regard. Despite all preparations, the election was postponed to March 13 after the death of BNP mayoral candidate Shafiqur Rahman Bhuiyan, 60, just 16 days before the first announced date (March 29).
Meanwhile, even though he did not take part in the 2015 elections, the BNP and the opposition are already discussing who will be the BNP’s candidate to take part in the Chandpur municipal elections this time. Because after the death of Shafiqur Rahman Bhuiyan, the former municipal chairman who was very popular, the party is still struggling to nominate a worthy single candidate. However, several candidates have already started vying for the BNP nomination. Many of them were not seen participating in party activities or party programs on the streets for a long time. Some have titles but are not known to the general electorate.
Chandpur district BNP joint convener Adv. Salim Ullah Selim said the Awami League government led by Sheikh Hasina has blocked democracy. I am still wondering whether we will go to that election or not. Even if we take part in the election, we will take it as a challenge. In that case we will select the worthy candidate from among ourselves. The name of the final candidate will be announced by press briefing as per the decision of the party
On the other hand, according to multiple BNP sources, the strongest candidates in the race for the single nomination so far are: Chandpur Municipal BNP President Akhter Hossain Majhi, former Chandpur Government College GS Haji Mosharraf Hossain, Sadar Upazila BNP President Shahjalal Mission and former ‘Chhatra Dal’ general secretary Kazi Mohammad Ibrahim Jewel.
Speaking to several leaders and activists of the unnamed party, it is known that since the Awami League is very strong and united from all sides, the BNP has to be very careful in selecting candidates. The party will have to pay the ultimate price if they nominates a leader who has nothing to do with grassroots leaders or ordinary voters.
However, it is mentioned that among the 4 candidates, the list of grassroots leaders and activists includes the choice of the municipal BNP president Akhter Hossain Majhi or the former general secretary of the district “Chhatra Dal” Kazi Mohammad Ibrahim Jewel. Their claim is the wisdom of the age and the familiarity and acceptance of Akhtar Majhi to the general electorate. However, BNP candidate Shafiqur Rahman Bhuiyan was defeated in the 2004 municipal elections because of him as a rebel candidate.
And Kazi Mohammad Ibrahim Jewel is popular among grassroots leaders and ordinary voters, starting from tidying up the field. Moreover, this beloved student leader of the young generation is considered as a worthy successor of the late Shafiqur Rahman Bhuiyan. If Kazi Mohammad Ibrahim Jewel is nominated as the sole candidate of BNP, this time two Jewel will fight in the municipal elections. Because ‘the word’ at the end of the name of the single candidate nominated by Awami League is also Jewel.
Among the other two candidates, Haji Mosharraf Hossain, former GS of Chandpur Government College, has not been seen participating in party activities or party programs on the streets for a long time. Although Sadar Upazila BNP president Shahjalal, who has just served as the district ‘Juba Dal’ president, holds senior positions in the party, he has not been able to establish a very good relationship with the grassroots workers. And he is not known to the general voters.
But in the end, the curious people will have to wait for a few more days for who will be the BNP candidate.
Correspondent: Ashiq bin Rahim, September 04,2020