- Conflict to increase at end, local administration gaining momentum to deal
- This time more arson in election offices
As the day of the 12th national parliament election is approaching, the conflict between independent candidates and the ruling Awami League nominees is intensifying. Many of the independent candidates are local-level leaders of the ruling party Awami League. Last Friday also in Barisal, one person was killed in a clash between two sides of the Barisal-4 seat on the grounds of the Prime Minister's election meeting. Such clashes have also been reported in several other areas in the last few days. There are even cases of candidates threatening each other. As a result, there is a situation of conflict in various places within the party.
According to the information received from various levels of the party, there has already been a sharp conflict and division within the party with independent candidates in more than one hundred seats out of 300 seats. The 18 members of parliament who won as Awami League candidates with the boat symbol in the 11th National Parliament are now fighting as independent candidates with a different symbol against the candidate of the boat symbol nominated by the Awami League. Due to this electoral competition between boat symbols and independent candidates, a tense situation has been created in various areas, which the local administration has to speed up to deal with.
After investigation, it is known that recently there was an incident of vandalism and looting of the election office of the boat in the Chapainawabganj-1 (Shibganj) Constituency. Miscreants vandalized, looted, and fired at the UP Chairman's house in Thanarpar village of Chhatarpaiya union on Saturday evening. On the same day, the news was published in almost all the media under the title 'Attacks at eight places, vandalism, shootings, 13 injured'. According to the news, there was a chase, shooting, and cocktail explosion between Chhatra Dal and Chhatra League leaders and activists in Ishwardi, Pabna. There were attacks and vandalism at the election office of the boat in Gafargaon, Mymensingh, vandalism of the independent candidate's supporter's shop in Patuakhali, and vandalism in the election campaign in Faridpur. A total of 13 people were injured in eight places. Meanwhile, a death threat was received against a journalist in Jamalpur.
Violence broke out in Bagmara of Rajshahi a day after the two main contending candidates hugged together and promised not to get involved in the conflict again with the mediation of the administration and the police. In Joypurhat-2 Constituency in Khetlal Upazila, five people including independent candidates were injured in a clash with the supporters of the boat candidate. But the election in Bangladesh is considered a voting festival. During the election festival, the supporters of the candidates participated in various events to pray for votes. Road meetings are organized. Especially from evening to late night, the election campaign is going on in the neighborhoods. Candidates and their supporters marched with banners, and festoons and played music after receiving symbols. Now that festive atmosphere has turned into conflict. A fatality has occurred. Not only that - this is the first time that fire is happening in the election office. Yesterday miscreants set fire to the election office of Kalyan Party Chairman Major General (retd) Syed Muhammad Ibrahim in the Koyarbil area of Cox's Bazar-1 Constituency.
At that time, office chairs, tables, posters, and a fertilizer-pesticide shop next to it were burnt to ashes. Although the complaint of the candidate of the watch symbol is different, the supporter of the truck symbol, Koyarbil Union Parishad Chairman Iqbal Hossain has caused this incident. Also, on Friday night, an election office of actress Mahia Mahi, an independent candidate for Rajshahi-1 constituency, was set on fire. Mahir's cousin Zahidul Islam filed a case as a plaintiff in this incident on Sunday night.
All the defendants in the case are supporters of the boat symbol. Also since the start of the campaign, there have been incidents of arson in election offices including Shariatpur and many other places. Which has not been seen in any previous elections. Meanwhile, Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury Nixon, a relative of party chief Sheikh Hasina and brother of Chief Whip Nur-e-Alam Chowdhury, is contesting as an independent candidate against Kazi Zafarullah, co-chairman of Awami League's election management committee and member of the party's highest policy-making forum presidium. The local Awami League is already divided around them. Incidents of threatening each other in various ways are going on between the two candidates. Clashes and disputes between the boat and independent candidate workers in a seat in Madaripur have already sparked discussions. Deputy Minister Enamul Haque Shamim is contesting as an Awami League candidate in a constituency of Shariatpur near Dhaka.
Khaled Shawkat has become an independent candidate against him. Khaled Shawkat's father late Colonel (retired) Shawkat Ali became a member of Parliament several times as Awami League candidate from this seat. He was also the Deputy Speaker of the National Parliament at one time. Party leaders and workers are divided in the whole area around the two of them. They have been accusing each other for the past few days. Former MP Talukdar Mohammad Tauhid Jung Murad has become an independent candidate against State Relief Minister Enamur Rahman in Savar near Dhaka.
The Awami League leaders of that area are also divided around the two candidates and one side is campaigning extensively against the other. The president and general secretary of the district did not get a place in the virtual meeting that Prime Minister and Awami League president Sheikh Hasina held with the candidates of Chandpur district last Thursday. Allegation of party candidates against them is that they are working for individual candidates in every seat of the district. Former Awami League MP AKM Awal is contesting as an independent candidate in Pirojpur against government minister SM Rezaul Karim. There have already been reports of the death of one person in the clash between the two groups.
On December 18, several people were injured in a clash between the supporters of the Awami League and independent candidates in a constituency in Munshiganj. Sharif Hasan Anu, joint general secretary of the party's district committee, is contesting as an independent candidate against Awami League-nominated candidate Nilufar Anjum in the Mymensingh-3 seat. In Faridpur Sadar Constituency, there have been several clashes between supporters of Awami League nominated candidate Shamim Haque and independent candidate AK Azad. Even though the clash has not yet happened publicly, there is a fear of a clash with former railway minister Mujibul Haque's leaders and activists in Comilla-11 Constituency Chouddagram.
JANIPOP-Jatiya Nirbachon Parjobekkhon Parishad (National Election Observation Council) Chairman Prof. Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah said that Awami League should take a tough stand to stop the ongoing election conflict. Since the candidates who were elected separately against the nominated candidate are also people of the Awami League. Otherwise, the team will suffer. The Election Commission should also take strict action against aggressors or violators. Dr. Badiul Alam Majumdar, Editor, SUJAN said that all the nominated candidates and independent candidates who participated in the election belong to Awami League. It is never desirable to engage in conflict among ourselves. Besides, such an environment of competition among themselves never brings benefits. However, Awami League's advisory council member Nuh Ul Alam Lenin said that the whole issue is election-centric and he thinks that there will be no repercussions after the election. He said, that after the election, you will see that these are no more. Then everyone's anger and fear will disappear.
ARS
