S A Shofiee,Sylhet:
Sunamganj-3 constituency consists of Jagannathpur and Shantiganj upazilas. In this constituency with a population of about 365,000, 9 politicians including BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, Khelafat Majlis, NCP and independent candidates are campaigning as MP candidates.
BNP-nominated, UK BNP General Secretary Koysor M Ahmed is holding meetings and gatherings in various places in the constituency. His election billboards and festoons are adorning various densely populated areas. He is walking from market to market handing out leaflets to voters. Workers are also going door to door to voters. Jamaat-nominated candidate Ad. Yasin Khan’s festoons and billboards are also seen in important places in the constituency. He is also going around every village in the constituency. Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis Central Nayeb-e-Amir Ad. Maw. Shahinur Pasha Chowdhury is also using his old experience to continue his campaign. He is also going to the doors of voters day, evening and night. Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam’s publicity secretary Syed Talha Alam is continuing his campaign even though he did not get nomination from the party. He says that he will participate in the elections as an independent candidate. He had already participated in the Jagannathpur Upazila Parishad elections twice and received a good response. Talha is actively involved in the field with banners, fastens, yard meetings and mass communication.
Barrister Anwar Hossain, a resident of Uzanigaon village of Joykals Union of Shantiganj Upazila, Sunamganj District BNP Vice-President, has announced that he will contest as an independent candidate after being denied nomination from the party. He is also going around the villages and conducting mass communication. His election billboards, festoons and banners are adorning various areas of the two upazilas. Hafiz Mushtaq Ahmed (Ghari), the leader of the other faction of the Khilafat Majlis (UK expatriate), has also announced to contest from this seat.
Meanwhile, two people have sought nomination from the NCP. Masudur Rahman Masud, a UK expatriate and resident of Kadipur village in West Pagla Union, and Ishaq Amini, son of Katiyar Sheikh Saheb in Jagannathpur Upazila. Masud has sought nomination from Sunamganj-3 and Sylhet-1 seats. The name of Parvez Ahmed, a Malaysian expatriate from Dharampur village in East Birgaon Union of Shantiganj, is also being heard as a candidate for the People’s Rights Council. However, although the names of Mushtaq Ahmed, Masudur Rahmam Masud, Ishaq Amini and Parvez Ahmed have been heard as candidates, they have not been seen in any campaign. They are not very well-known faces in the constituency. Barrister Anwar Hossain recently announced that he will contest the election as an independent candidate, going beyond the party’s decision. He said that the people did not get a candidate of their choice in this constituency. The people of Shantiganj wanted an educated and qualified person to be nominated. This seat is a VIP seat. Qualified people are needed here. The people of my upazila and Jagannathpur upazila are with me.
Syed Talha Alam said that the people of Jagannathpur already love me. This love is still there by the grace of Allah. People will express that love in the election, Insha Allah. I am always going to stand by the people during the election. I am 100% optimistic about winning. Ed. Shahinur Pasha Chowdhury said that I contested the elections with Abdus Samad Azad in 1996 and 2001. I have the experience of 4 more elections under my belt. I am working in the elections using this experience. I believe that the common people will give me another chance in this election under the rickshaw symbol. This election seems more cheerful to me than other elections. I have a personal image. I am optimistic that people will buy me.
Ad. Yasin Khan said, people have seen the BNP-Awami League in the past days. Now they want change. We are going to the people, they are giving us this message. Not a special class, but voters of all classes will vote for us. In addition to billboards and festoons, we are also holding yard meetings. We are going door to door. We are very optimistic. Complaining, he said, many of my billboards are being torn down by people of other candidates. At the Manbeg point of Purba Pagla Union in Shantiganj, people of other candidates have torn down my billboard and put up billboards of their preferred candidate. People will respond to this through votes, God willing. Rice Sheaf candidate Koychar M Ahmed said, breaking all past records, people have spontaneously accepted me. I am going to the people. They did not value the people because the previous autocratic government did not go to the common people. We have a commitment to the people. We are working to win the hearts of the people. People are also responding. We are 100% optimistic about victory. Voters of all ages are with us.
