Mohammad Shubid Ali Bhuiyan of the ruling Awami League (AL) has been representing his party in the National Parliament from the Cumilla-1 constituency since 2008.
As the battle to get a party ticket among their probable candidates is getting fierce, the top district leaders of AL and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) have also intensified their efforts to contain intra-party conflicts and strengthen their parties’ organisational capacity.
They are holding views-exchange meetings, discussions and various programmes with grassroots leaders and activists to make them united and motivated for working for the candidates who will bag their respective party tickets.
The constituency encompasses Daudkandi and Titasupazilas, as per the new arrangements made on June 4 of this year.
The constituency was created for the first general elections in newly independent Bangladesh, held in 1973.
Ahead of the 2008 general election, the Election Commission redrew constituency boundaries to reflect population changes revealed by the 2001 Bangladesh census.
The 2008 redistricting altered the boundaries of the constituency.
According to locals, the election result will be completely different from the past because of re-arrangement of constituencies.
Previously, till the 11th national election of 2018, it was regarded as Comilla-1 (Daudkandi-Meghna).
The Meghnaupazila has now been attached to the Homnaupazila, which is known as Comilla-2.
The incumbent lawmaker Major General (Retd) Mohammad Shubid Ali Bhuiyan will seek party nomination to contest the next general election.KhandakarMushtaq Ahmad, one of the chief conspirators behind the assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was born in the village of Dashpara in Daudkandi of this constituency.
He took on the role of President immediately after the assassination and later installed military dictator Ziaur Rahman to power.
Those who benefited themselves by expressing loyalty to KhandakerMushtaq dominated the constituency for a long time.
Therefore, once this constituency was known as the stronghold of BNP and anti-liberation forces.
But, as Shubid Ali Bhuiyan has been serving the constituency as an AL lawmaker since 2009, the party’s popularity has increased due to the tremendous development in the infrastructure sector, including the construction of roads, educational institutions and upazila model mosques.
Talking to journalists Shubid Ali Bhuiyan said as he won the seat thrice, he will also seek party nomination this time.
“I shall also seek nomination to contest the next general election this time. And I’m confident I shall win the poll again,” he added.
Local leaders and activists of AL believe that the “boat” symbol will win easily in the next election as well.
Apart from Shubid Ali Bhuiyan, Engineer AbdusSabur, the central Science and Technology Affairs Secretary of the ruling party, also wants to contest the next general election.
Talking to reporters AbdusSabur said he has been engaged in AL politics at grassroots and central levels since.
“I’m travelling throughout my constituency. Local people love me and want to see me as a lawmaker,” said AbdusSabur.
Barrister Naeem Hasan, the son of late AL leader Hasan Jamil Sattar, also wants a party ticket to contest the next general election.
“I’m taking part in all programs of Awami League and working hard to strengthen the party’ organisational activities. My father had also contributed to the Awami League. If I get a party ticket, I’m confident I shall win the next poll,” he added.
On the other hand, there is no alternative to former minister and BNP’s standing committee member DrKhandkarMosharraf Hossain to get a party ticket to contest the next general election from this constituency, according to grassroots leaders and workers of BNP.
DrMosharraf contested the 2018 election from both Cumilla-1 and Cumilla-2 seats but conceded defeat. He was earlier elected four times from the Cumilla-2 constituency from 1991-2001.
However, DrMosharraf may fail to contest the next general election as he is facing several cases.
Keeping this in mind, KhandkarMaruf Hossain, son of KhandkarMosharraf Hossain is likely to get a party ticket if BNP joins the next polls.
Apart from them, AKM AbulKalam Azad, former Vice-President of JatiyatabadiShecchasebok Dal, expressed his willingness to seek a party ticket to contest the next general election.
Besides, nomination seekers of different political parties including Jatiya Party, Jamaat-e-Islami, IslamiAndolan Bangladesh, and Zaker Party in Cumilla-1 constituency have also stepped up campaigns in a bid to convince their party high-ups for party tickets, even though the general election is still over four months away.
The race for nomination has garnered significant hype as the aspirants believe the person elected as the Cumilla-1 lawmaker will have a tough time gaining party backing for the12th national election.
Lobbying for party tickets and mass contact to secure votes by aspirants are going on simultaneously as the constituency has been gripped by election fever.
Local leaders of different political parties, including the ruling AL, have also started shows of strength through meetings and mass contacts.
Except BNP and Jamaat, leaders of other political parties including AL have set up big banners and posters at the important points in the constituency, intersections of highways and roads, and on boundary walls.
