Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader is representing Lalmonirhat-3 constituency in the National Parliament.
The constituency encompasses LalmonirhatSadar Upazila.
The constituency was created in 1984 from a Rangpur constituency when the former Rangpur District was split into five districts: Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Rangpur, Kurigram, and Gaibandha.
Abul Hossain of Awami League contested the general elections held in 1986 and became the Member of Parliament (MP) while MdRiaz Uddin Ahmed won the seat in the general election held in 1988.
Later Riaz Uddin joined Jatiya Party and contested the national polls held in 1991. And he became a lawmaker from the constituency again.
Asadul Habib Dulu of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) contested the February general elections held in 1996 and won the seat.
But, GM Quader of Jatiya Party contested the June national polls held in the same year and won the seat while Asadul Habib Dulu of BNP regained the seat in the general elections held in 2001.
GM Quader of Jatiya Party contested the national polls held in 2008 and became MP from this constituency again while Abu Saleh Mohammad Sayeed of Awami League won the seat in the general elections held in 2014.
And Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader contested the general elections held in 2018 and regained the seat again.
This constituency is also known as Jatiya Party’s stronghold.
In Lalmonirhat constituency-3, there are a total of 3, 34,471 people.
Of them, there are a total of 2, 84,566 voters.
Uncertainty looms large whether the incumbent lawmaker and Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader will contest the next general elections this time from this constituency, according to party insiders.
Therefore, the party (Jatiya Party) high command may pick Zahid Hassan, member secretary of Lalmonirhat district unit of Jatiya Party.
Talking to reporters Zahid Hassan said if the party Chairman does not become the candidate, he will get the party ticket to contest the next general elections.
On the other hand, the ruling Awami League wants to field a strong candidate in the next national elections.
Advocate Matiar Rahman, General Secretary of Lalmonirhat district unit of Awami League and Advocate Safura Begum, President of Lalmonirhat district unit of Bangladesh MohilaAwami League will seek party nomination to contest the next polls.
According to grassroots activists of BNP, Asadul Habib Dulu will get the party nomination to contest the next general elections if BNP joins the polls.
Besides, Jamaat-e-Islam will field an independent candidate in the next general elections as the party is not allowed to participate in the elections.
IslamiAndolan Bangladesh, the party which maintains distance from Awami League and BNP is also going ahead in the vote politics silently in the constituency.
In recent years, the party has gradually done well in the local government elections.
The number of votes of the party has also increased in the national polls.
Therefore, Moksedul Islam, general secretary of Lalmonirhat district unit of IslamiAndolan Bangladesh, is expected to get a party ticket to contest the next general elections if his party joins the polls.
With the election five months and 15 days away, campaigning has not got momentum yet.
Campaign activities for Awami League and Jatiya Party candidates in the constituency are energetic but supporters of other political parties’ candidates, particularly the BNP and Jamaat, was hardly seen electioneering.
A cross section of locals said those who support the BNP or the Jamaat-e-Islami have either kept themselves away from campaigning or have started electioneering for the Awami League to “avert police trouble or harassment”, according to local people.
Though the two major political camps remain rigid on their stances over the contentious issue of polls-time administration, they are making preparations for the 12th parliamentary election, according to reports reaching capital Dhaka.
This time Jatiya Party will try hard to retain the constituency.
Therefore, nomination seekers of Awami League and Jatiya Party have already started passing their hectic days through polls campaigning in the constituency.
Local leaders of different political parties, including the ruling Awami League, BNP and Jatiya Party have started showdown through meetings and mass contacts.
The nomination seekers have set up big banners and posters at the important points in the constituency, intersections of highways and roads, and on boundary walls.
The government has constructed different educational institutions, mosques, temples, rural roads, bridges, culverts and other infrastructures in Lalmonirhat-3.
The construction of the roads, bridges, culverts and other infrastructures has improved rural communication networks to facilitate farm and non-farm economy and upgraded the life standard of rural people through providing easier and quicker access to basic service delivery centers like schools and hospitals in this constituency.
Local people said they will cast their votes in favour of a candidate who sacrifices in realising their rights and for continuity of the current development spree in their constituency.
In this regard, they believe Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader, Awami League leader Advocate Matiar Rahman and BNP leader Asadul Habib Dulu have successfully been able to retain their popularity.
According to them, the trio will also be heavyweight candidates in this constituency.
