Politicians hopeful of getting an election ticket in Jamalpur district have already started gearing up for the national polls scheduled to be held next year.
These election hopefuls have started visiting their respective areas as part of their poll campaign. Some leaders have even declared their candidature in press briefings. Many of them have swathed the city in colourful posters, hoping to draw the attention of top party leaders and get nominated.
Jamalpur district has five constituencies. In the last general election held in 2014, the Awami League (AL) had won four seats and the Jatiya Party one, as the BNP had boycotted the polls.
Jamalpur-1 constituency consists of Bakshiganj and Dewanganj upazilas. In the last general election, AL candidate Abul Kalam Azad was elected from this constituency. He is trying hard to implement various developmental activities in Dewanganj and Bakshiganj.
The president of Bakshiganj AL, Noor Mohammad, who was defeated in the 2008 election as an independent candidate, is also a potential party candidate this time.
On the other hand, Shahida Akhtar Rita, former lawmaker M Rashiduzzaman Millat, and former inspector general of police Abdul Quium are trying to get nomination from the BNP.
Former minister MA Sattar is a potential candidate from the Jatiya Party. Sources claimed that if the AL goes for an alliance with Jatiya Party, this seat may be reserved for the latter.
Jamalpur-2 constituency comprises Islampur upazila. This seat is an AL stronghold. In the 2008 general election, Faridul Haque Khan Dulal had been nominated as the AL candidate. He had defeated BNP candidate Sultan Mahmud Babu to bag the seat. Faridul is still a strong candidate here.
But this time, he has a rival in the form of Mahjabin Khaled Baby, lawmaker from the Jamalpur women’s reserved seat and daughter of sector commander Maj. Gen. Khaled Mosharaf. She is already communicating extensively with people at the grassroots, hoping to earn a nomination.
Apart from these two, Shahjahan Ali Mondal, an adviser of the district AL, is also a probable candidate in the constituency.
On the other hand, as a new probable candidate from the BNP, ASM Abdul Halim, former cabinet secretary and adviser to the party chairperson, has already launched various programmes to earn brownie points in the upcoming election.
Besides, former lawmaker Sultan Mahmud Babu is also contending for nomination.
Jamalpur-3 constituency comprises Madarganj and Melandah upazilas. State minister for textile and jute, Mirza Azam, has been elected five times from this constituency on an AL ticket.
After being elected uncontested in the last election, Mirza Faridul Haque Khan Dulal has been implementing a lot of developmental projects in his area. This has made him popular among the people.
On the other hand, Mostafizur Rahman Babul, who has lost twice—once in 2001 as an independent candidate and in 2008 as the BNP candidate—is trying to get nominated for the third time.
Jamalpur-4 constituency comprises Sarishabari upazila. The AL’s Dr Murad Hassan won the seat in 2008 by defeating BNP candidate Faridul Kabir Talukdar Shamim. But in 2014, Mamunur Rashid of JP (Ershad) bagged the seat after the AL left it to the JP.
This time, BNP district president Faridul Kabir Talukdar is also a strong candidate. Several names from the AL, other than that of Dr Murad’s, have been doing the rounds. Of them, Abdur Rashid and Mahbubur Rahman Helal are the most prominent ones.
Sources claimed that if the AL joins hands with the JP, this seat might also be reserved for the latter.
Jamalpur-5 constituency consists of Jamalpur Sadar upazila. AL candidate Rezaul Karim Hira has been elected four consecutive times from this constituency. Former deputy minister for health, Md Sirazul Haque of the BNP, has lost to the AL candidate thrice. The BNP is now desperate to win the seat.
Shah Md Wares Ali Mamun, the BNP district secretary and a two-time former mayor of Jamalpur, seems to be a strong candidate. However, Md Sirazul Haque and former lawmaker from the women’s reserved seat, Nilofar Chowdhury Mony, are also vying for nomination.
The AL also has candidates other than Rezaul Karim Hira. Among them are district AL president Mohammad Baki Billah, district AL secretary Faruk Ahmed Chowdhury, engineers Mohammad Ali and Mojaffar Hosain, advocate HR Zahid Anwar, Dr MA Mannan, Zafar Iqbal Zafu, Marufa Aktar Popy, and Rezaul Karim Reznu.
Of them, Mojaffar Hosain is a strong candidate. He has been communicating with voters for a long time.
Mohammad Baki Billah said the AL has always been an “election-oriented party”. He also said all AL leaders are in the field with the message of massive development work and stability during its rule. On the other hand, district BNP president Faridul Kabir Talukdar Shamim said theirs is a big party and they are working to consolidate its discipline. “Our leaders and workers are also holding various programmes at the grassroots level, keeping the next election in mind,” he added.