AL nominees face deprived party men in 3 Rajshahi seats; BNP still undecided as Jamaat demands 3 seats

Awami League (AL) nominees have started electioneering in all six constituencies in Rajshahi district braving division among party men over ticket to three industrialist newcomers.
BNP leaders are still waiting for party nominations while its electoral alliance partner Jamaat-e Islami has demanded tickets for party men in three seats.
The BNP leaders and activists, affected much in the anti-graft and anti-crime drives during the last two years, now seem to get encouraged again following the two BNP bigwigs' return to election field.
The two bigwigs are former Rajshahi mayor Mizanur Rahman Minu and former lawmaker Abu Hena.
AL district President Tajul Islam M Faruk is leading a party faction that is representing the nomination-deprived leaders while General Secretary Omar Faruk Chowdhury in leading the other faction in favour of AL nominees.
Still AL is hopeful for winning all the Rajshahi seats cashing on BNP-Jamaat's 'image crisis'.

Rajshahi-1 (Tanore-Godagari)
Former BNP minister Aminul Haque, convicted in a case for abetting militancy, is now staying abroad. Aminul's brother former inspector general of police Enamul Haque is likely to get the party ticket in the seat while Jamaat is lobbying for its Assistant Secretary General Mujibur Rahman.
District AL General Secretary Omar Faruk Chowdhury is the party candidate from the seat.

Rajshahi-2 (Rajshahi city)
This seat is the centre of attention for all as the major electoral fight of the district is likely to be here between Workers' Party leader Fazle Hossain Badsha and BNP leader former Rahshahi city mayor Mizanur Rahman Minu.
BNP's Mizanur Rahman Minu, now acquitted in the extortion case he was convicted before, is still in jail as he is yet to get bail in two graft cases.
But he is now eligible for contesting the election and nomination papers have been collected in his favour.
Rajshahi city Jamaat Amir Ataur Rahman also collected nomination papers.
AL nominee Akhtar Jahan told the media that AL is going to share the seat with Fazle Hossain Badsha who is already in electioneering.

Rajshahi-3 (Paba-Mohonpur)
BNP is considering its office secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi and former lawmaker Kabir Hossain at this newly created constitution to fight against former district AL acting President Meraj Uddin Mollah.
District BNP Student Affairs Secretary Raihanul Haque is also a nomination seeker from this seat.

Rajshahi-4 (Bagmara)
Industrialist Enamul Haque, a newcomer to AL, is facing protests of party men while electioneering as he was nominated ignoring grassroots opinion for senior party leader Sardar Amjad Hossain.
Former BNP lawmaker Abu Hena who was ousted from party for revealing party men's involvement behind the rise of militancy returned to the party again.
He is likely to get nomination this time too. Bagmara upazila BNP President Abdul Gafur is another possible candidate.
Jamaat wants this seat for Ahad Ali Kabiraj.

Rajshahi-5 (Puthia-Durgapur)
Unlike two other industrialist AL nominees, Kazi Abdul Wadud Dara was in the panel of nominees elected by the grassroots.
Yet local leaders and activists are protesting as the nomination was made ignoring Tajul Islam M Faruk who got highest grassroots votes.
In absence of former lawmaker Nadim Mostafa, BNP leader Mosaddek Hossain Bulbul is lobbying for ticket in the seat.

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