Prospective candidates of different parties including the ruling Awami League (AL) and opposition BNP, Jatiya Party (JP) and others have already started campaign in the three parliamentary constituencies of Munshiganj, months before the next Jatiya Sangasad (JS) elections.
Different places in six upazilas of the district are marked with banners, festoons and colourful posters set by enthusiastic followers of the candidates.
The parties are trying to make their leaders and workers active through various meetings at the upazila and union levels.
With filed visits of candidates, there is lively discussion about the next national election everywhere.
The three constituencies of Munshiganj district were once known as BNP stronghold. But representatives from AL and its alliance have been elected lawmakers in the three constituencies for the last 15 years. In the last election, Munshiganj-1 constituency was left to the Bikalpadhara, a member of the AL-led alliance. In the two other constituencies of the district, Munshiganj-2 and Munshiganj-3, AL men are serving as Members of Parliament (MP).
Although there has been no conflict between the ruling AL and opposition BNP in the district in the last 14 years, AL’s internal conflict has surfaced in Sadar constituency in the form of two groups’ exchange of statements in different meetings.
Opposition parties BNP and JP, both lacking full-fledged committees, have made their local conflict public with programmes and counter-programmes in different areas of the district.
Islami Andolan and Biplobi Workers Party have intensified their activities in the field as they will participate in the elections in all three constituencies of the district.
In Munshiganj-1 (Srinagar-Sirajdikhan), Bikalpadhara Vice President Mahi B Chowdhury was elected lawmaker in the last election. He is likely to seek nomination from the alliance this time as well.
Besides, former health affairs secretary of the AL's central committee Badiuzzaman Bhuiyan Dablu, Sirajdikhan upazila Chairman and AL’s district President Mohiuddin Ahmed, central AL sub-committee member Golam Sarwar Kabir, and AL leaders Noore Alam Chowdhury and Makmudur Rahman Dablu will seek nomination from the party in this seat.
BNP has several candidates in the seat. Among them are Sirajdikhan upazila BNP convenor industrialist Sheikh Md Abdullah, General Secretary of Dhaka Divisional Swechchhasebok Dal Mir Sarafat Ali Safu and former chairman of Srinagar upazila Momin Ali.
On the other hand, Sirajul Islam, a presidium member of the JP, will seek nomination as the single candidate of the party.
Munshiganj-2 (Louhajong-Tongibari): Awami League leader Sagufta Yasmin Emily is lawmaker from this seat. She has been elected MP four times from this seat and will seek nomination next time too. Other candidates for nomination from AL in this seat are party leader Afsar Uddin Bhuiyan, Dhali Moazzem Hossain, Dr Abu Yusuf Fakir and Farhad Hossain.
Opposition party BNP, which is struggling to get back the seat, has several strong candidates including BNP central Organizing Secretary Abdus Salam Azad and former district BNP general secretary Ali Azgar Ripon Mallik.
Nomination aspirants from JP include former MP Md Jamal Hossain and Md Noman Mia.
In Munshiganj-3 (Sadar and Gazaria), there are several strong candidates from the ruling party. They are the current MP and AL’s central Liberation War Affairs Secretary Mrinal Kanti Das, district AL President the current municipality Mayor Haji Md Faisal Biplab, who is also Bangabandhu's close companion Md Mohiuddin's eldest son, and former MP Jamuna Bank Director Md Noor Mohammad.
It has been reported that the MP from women’s reserved seat and the State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Fazilatun Nessa Indira may seek nomination for election by direct vote. Munshiganj Mayor’s wife Chowdhury Faria Afrin, Jubo League central leader Abdur Rahman Jibon, Supreme Court lawyer and Swechchhasebok League leader Salma Hai Tuni may seek party nomination.
Among the strong candidates of BNP in this seat are former Deputy Minister District BNP convener Md Abdul Hai and BNP central leader Kamruzzaman. Jatiya Party has several candidates here.
