Mother, son fight UP polls battle against each other

Bagerhat: Though it sounds unusual, Ranipara union in Kachua upazila of the district is set to see a crazy battle between a mother and her son in the upcoming union parishad (UP) elections billed for March 22, reports UNB.
Taslima Begum, the mother, is contesting the polls for the chairman post with ruling Awami League’s boat symbol, while her son, Mehedi Hasan Babu, is running as an independent candidate with the election symbol of pineapple. But locals suggest that it is, in fact, the son’s battle against his father, SM Mahfuzur Rahman, the current UP chairman. Mahfuzur Rahman has already disowned his son publicly for not conforming to his family’s wishes, which is why Mehedi is campaigning from outside the district, while his mother is promoting her campaign from door to-door.
Mahfuz, a local Awami League leader, was the chairman of Ranipara union from 1998 to 2008, after which he was elected as the Kachua upazila parishad chairman. His wife Taslima was elected Ranipara UP chairman in 2011 in his place. Mehedi admitted that he is competing not against his mother, but against his father’s oppressive activities in the region.
He brought allegations against his father of intimidation and disrupting his campaign, an allegation turned down by Mahfuz.
Mahfuz, however, accused Mehdi of ‘bringing shame’ upon their family. Branding his son as rebellious and drug addict, he said Mehedi has leaned towards BNP-Jamaat’s politics and brought shame upon the family by marrying a BNP leader’s daughter.
But, Taslima blames it on Mehedi’s ‘mental problem’, claiming that he was ‘not in his right state of mind’ when he stood for election against her.
Fully confident about her victory, she revealed that they have no contact with their son after he left their house.
According to voters, although Taslima is well ahead of her son in terms of popularity, her son is not lagging behind either.
Seema Rani Shil, a voter from Khalishakhali village, said although it is a mother-son contest, she will cast her vote only after careful consideration.
Bikash Dutta, another voter from Narendrapur village, voiced his dilemma in choosing candidate—Taslima or Mehedi!
Ranipara has some 13,678 voters in its 19 villages.

Mother, son fight UP polls battle against each other

Bagerhat: Though it sounds unusual, Ranipara union in Kachua upazila of the district is set to see a crazy battle between a mother and her son in the upcoming union parishad (UP) elections billed for March 22, reports UNB. Taslima Begum, the mother, is contesting the polls for the chairman post with ruling Awami Leagues boat symbol, while her son, Mehedi Hasan Babu, is running as an independent candidate with the election symbol of pineapple. But locals suggest that it is, in fact, the sons battle against his father, SM Mahfuzur Rahman, the current UP chairman. Mahfuzur Rahman has already disowned his son publicly for not conforming to his familys wishes, which is why Mehedi is campaigning from outside the district, while his mother is promoting her campaign from door to-door. Mahfuz, a local Awami League leader, was the chairman of Ranipara union from 1998 to 2008, after which he was elected as the Kachua upazila parishad chairman. His wife Taslima was elected Ranipara UP chairman in 2011 in his place. Mehedi admitted that he is competing not against his mother, but against his fathers oppressive activities in the region. He brought allegations against his father of intimidation and disrupting his campaign, an allegation turned down by Mahfuz. Mahfuz, however, accused Mehdi of bringing shame upon their family. Branding his son as rebellious and drug addict, he said Mehedi has leaned towards BNP-Jamaats politics and brought shame upon the family by marrying a BNP leaders daughter. But, Taslima blames it on Mehedis mental problem, claiming that he was not in his right state of mind when he stood for election against her. Fully confident about her victory, she revealed that they have no contact with their son after he left their house. According to voters, although Taslima is well ahead of her son in terms of popularity, her son is not lagging behind either. Seema Rani Shil, a voter from Khalishakhali village, said although it is a mother-son contest, she will cast her vote only after careful consideration. Bikash Dutta, another voter from Narendrapur village, voiced his dilemma in choosing candidateTaslima or Mehedi! Ranipara has some 13,678 voters in its 19 villages.