Narsingdi 3 constituency: Many hopefuls in AL, no heavyweight aspirant in BNP

Narsingdi 3 constituency was once a BNP bastion, but now the party has no strong leader to stand against the leaders of its rival Awami League in the upcoming 11^th parliamentary election. 

Late BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan was elected an MP from this constituency for four consecutive times. 

But Mannan lost in the ninth general election after contesting as an independent candidate following his expulsion from BNP. 

Awami League candidate Zahirul Haque Mohan won the election in the ninth election held in 2008. 

Narsingdi 3 is spread across nine unions and one municipality of Shibpur Upazila. 

Awami League nomination-seekers

Current MP Md Sirajul Islam Molla, presidium member of Jubo League, contested in the previous election as an independent candidate. 

This time he is seeking a nomination under the Awami League banner, but the leaders of the party’s Shibpur Upazila are not endorsing him. 

Sirajul, however, has a clean image in the constituency, as he has implemented several development projects in the last five years. 

He is facing challenges from Awami League’s district unit Vice President and former MP Zahirul Haque Mohan and Shibpur Upazila unit President Harun-or-Rashid Khan. 

Local leaders believe a person who has no link with the grassroots level will not get the nomination. 

They also hope that the Awami League candidate will be able to regain the seat. 

Sirajul said he is hopeful of the nomination as he has done much work for the development of this constituency. 

“There will not be any dispute after the nomination, and all of us will work together for the party candidate,” he said. 

His rival Zahirul said he is confident of receiving the nomination, as the party high command is in his favour. 

Awami League’s upazila unit General Secretary Shamsul Alam Rakhil said they are ready to work for the candidate the party chooses. 

BNP aspirants

BNP has not yet found any replacement in the last eight years since the death of former BNP leader Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan in 2010. 

However, the situation has improved after Mannan’s supporters recently rejoined BNP. They had resigned from the party following Mannan’s expulsion. 

BNP is now working to reorganize the party and prepare for the next election. 

The nomination hopefuls include: BNP’s district unit General Secretary Tofazzal Hossain Master, Vice President Manjur Elahi, the party’s Shibpur Upazila unit President Abul Haris Rikabdar, BNP Legal Affairs Secretary and Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s lawyer Sanaullah Mia, and Bangladesh Chhatra Dal central committee General Secretary Akramul Hasan Mintu. 

Tofazzal said he had done a lot of work when the party was going through bad times. “I hope I will get the nomination.”

Another aspirant Sanaullah said he is hopeful of candidacy. “I urge all to work together so that we win the election.”

Abul Haris said the aspirants are already busy campaigning. “If we remain united we will be able to regain the constituency.”