With the 12th JatiyaSangsad elections approaching, there is widespread gossip, discussion and speculation everywhere among the voters as well as the political leaders of Satkhira-3 constituency about the possible nominees from the ruling Awami League, the opposition BNP and other political parties.
The main discussion is who is the candidate to contest the elections. Is he or she from inside the party or from the alliance?
The grassroots-level leaders and activists of Awami League, however, prefer partisan candidates in all constituencies of Satkhira, not anyone from the alliance except AL.
They also opined that there is no alternative to the partisan candidate from the ruling AL to continue the trend of development in the constituency.
Satkhira-3 constituency comprises 21 unions of Asashuni, Debhata and Kaliganj(part) upazilas. The incumbent Member of Parliament from the constituency is the Member of the Advisory Council of Awami League, former Health Minister Dr AFM RuhulHaque who is very popular among his party men and the voters and also learnt to be a 'heavyweight' candidate to be nominated from the party to contest with the 'Boat' symbol during the upcoming 12th Parliamentary elections.
With AL-led alliance candidate being in power for the last three consecutive terms, there has been a massive development in the Satkhira-3 constituency. The signs of development are visible in local roads, culverts, schools, colleges, madrasas, mosques, temples and in various infrastructures.
The men and women of the constituency are getting various allowances including maternity allowance, elderly allowance, disabled allowance and the Freedom Fighters' allowances. Farmers are also getting subsidies in purchasing various farm inputs, seeds and fertilisers. Most of the voters of the areas want these facilities to continue in future.
Meanwhile, DrShahidulAlam, a Standing Committee Member of BNP is also a possible candidate from the BNP-led alliance. DrShahidulAlam has also earned huge popularity from among the voters. Local BNP leaders have already started mass contact with the local voters and are trying to convince them to vote for the party to check the skyrocketing prices of essentials, bribes, corruption, harassment and the disparity in government offices.
With the demand to end the alleged looting and vandalism of the ruling party leaders and activists, BNP seeks sympathy and support from the voters and wants to recover its lost seat. BNP alliance leaders have already started their 'silent in-house meetings' and are trying to occupy the polls arena at the directives from the centre.
The BNP-led alliance is also learnt to be united and made its leaders and activists movement-oriented by effacing all internal feuds.
On the other hand, the local Awami League is also learnt to be in a strong position. The voters of the constituency think, if even the opposition alliance participates in the elections, there will be a tough contest between the ruling AL candidate and the opposition BNP-led alliance candidate in the poll.
Among others, Industry and Commerce Affairs Secretary of district AL Sheikh Ezaz Ahmed Swapon, President of Ashashuni Upazila AL and Upazila Chairman ABM Mostakim, former student leader, President of Ashashuni upazila Krishak League NMB RashedSarwar Shelly, Jatiya Party central committee member Advocate Alif Hossain and Jamaat-e-Islami leader MuhaddisRabiul Bashar are active in the field. They have been learnt to start a silent campaign in favour of their candidacy even before getting nominations from their concerned party high-ups.