There’s going to be no contest in 174 constituencies among 300s. The candidates of Awami League, their allies and Jatiya Pary in these constituencies are seemingly in no tension at all. In many constituencies, the candidates of Awami League (AL) are not seen in election fields. Hence, the attraction of voting contest seemed to be faded.
The above information was revealed from the news sent by the representatives of The Bangladesh Pratidin across the country. According to their information, tough competition can be forecasted in 126 constituencies. There will be stiff competition among two or three candidates in those constituencies. However, there seemed to be no contest in rest 174 constituencies. That means, in 58% of the constituencies, the winners was determined even before the elections took place.
Only 16 days left for the 12th National Assembly elections. BNP, one of the biggest political parties in the country, is not on the ballot in this election. Jatiya Party, the main opposition party in the present parliament, has shared seats with Awami League in 26 seats. There is no boat candidate in these seats. Even though more than 200 candidates of Jatiya Party are in the polling field, they too are not able to compete against the candidates of Awami League. However, in several constituencies, the independent candidates of the Awami League, who were not nominated, have fought against the boats. The 126-seat crew of the boat has come under competitions from trucks, eagles and scissor symbols.
According to The Bangladesh Pratidin correspondents, the candidates of the three constituencies of Gopalganj are on the way to victory without any stiff competition. Patuakhali is unopposed in two of its four parliamentary seats. In Patuakhali-1 (Sadar-Mirzaganj-Dumki) constituencies, Jatiya Party Co-Chairman (Langal symbol) ABM Ruhul Amin Howlader has no strong rival in the poll field. As Awami League nominated central Awami League organizing secretary Advocate Md. As Afzal Hossain withdrew his candidature, there is no rebel or independent candidate of the ruling party in this constituencies. In Patuakhali-2 (Bauphal) constituency, there is no rebel or independent from Awami League party, former Chief Whip Awami League has been nominated boat symbol candidate. Seven-time MP, Baufal Upazila Awami League President ASM Feroze has no strong rival. Awami League candidate Aftab Uddin Sarkar will not have to gain much momentum to win Nilphamari-1 seat.
Shahab Uddin, current MP in Moulvibazar-1 constituency, Mohammad Zillur Rahman in Moulvibazar-3 and current MP in Moulvibazar-4, and former whip and heroic freedom fighter deputy principal Dr. Abdus Shahid's victory is almost certain. Shakib Al Hasan and Biren Shikder can easily win with the boat symbol in Magura-1 and Magura-2 seats without any challenge, as there is no candidate of BNP or any such big party or even a heavyweight independent candidate here. In Jhenaidah-4 Constituency, a weak rebel candidate is contesting against current Member of Parliament Anwarul Azim Anar. As there is no strong rival in Habiganj-3 seat, current MP Abu Zahir, the ‘boatman’ and president of Habiganj district Awami League, is in a very cheerful mood. Among the 11 constituencies of Cumilla, the candidates of Boat Symbol are completely independent in Cumilla-1, 7, 9 and 10 constituencies. In five of Chattogram’s 16 constituencies, boat candidates have no strong rivals. In Chittagong-4, 6, 7, 9 and 13 constituencies, though there are small party rivals, they are not worthy to be included in the calculation. In Chandpur-1 Constituency, with boat symbol Salim Mahmud is going to score a goal in an empty field. As BNP did not participate in the elections, there is no strong competition in Barguna-2 seat with Sultana Nadira. There is considerable doubt about the presence of voters at the center in this seat as there is no strong rival.
Awami League candidates in three of the four parliamentary constituencies of Bagerhat are five-time MP Bangabandhu's nephew Sheikh Helal Uddin in Bagerhat-1, Sheikh Tanmoy, the third generation of the Bangabandhu family in Bagerhat-2 and former president of Central Chhatra League HM Badiuzzaman Sohag in Bagerhat-4. By a huge margin of votes, they’re on the way to victory. Awami League candidate Dipankar Talukder feels that victory is certain even before the allocation of symbols in Rangamati. There is no heavyweight candidate to contest in Chattogram Hill Tracts as CHT Association vice-president independent candidate Ushatan Talukdar and Jatiya Party-backed candidate Harunur Rashid withdrawn themselves from the elections. Apart from that, those who are competing are also not in the field. In the previous election, the main opponent of Planning Minister MA Mannan in Sunamganj-3 constituency was Azizus Samad Azad Don, a rebel of his own party. This time, the son of the late foreign minister Abdus Samad Azad withdrew from the contest following the party's decision after being denied nomination. Member of Awami League Central Executive Committee is supporting former rival MA Manna in the polling field.
(The district representatives and staff correspondents of The Bangladesh Pratidin assisted in preparing the report. the report was published in printed and online version of the daily and rewritten in English by Lutful Hoque Khan)
