Dhaka 8: Ruling alliance campaigns relentlessly, BNP resorts to 'guerrilla style'

The ruling Awami League-led 14-party alliance and the Socialist Party of Bangladesh have been campaigning in full swing in the Dhaka 8 constituency, while BNP candidates have resorted to electioneering covertly following an attack on one of their rallies.

A total of 14 candidates are contesting from the constituency, including Awami League-led 14 alliance leader and Workers Party of Bangladesh Chairman Rashed Khan Menon, BNP Standing Committee Member Mirza Abbas, and Islami Andolan Bangladesh candidate Abul Kashem.

Dhaka 8 is known as the centre of Dhaka city as the University of Dhaka, the Secretariat, Motijheel, Paltan, and Baily Road areunder the constituency.

Supporters and activists of the ruling alliance have been campaigning relentlessly for their candidate and current lawmaker,Rashed Khan Menon.

Menon is confident of winning by a huge margin,owing to the vast amount of development done in the constituency under the Awami League-led alliance.

Local Awami League leaders, activists of affiliated organizations, and political partners of the alliance have been seeking votes on behalf of Menon.

Awami Jubo League Dhaka South city unit President Ismail Hossain Shamrat and Awami Swechasebak League President Kauser Ahmed, who did not receive nominations, have also been campaigning for Menon.

Meanwhile, BNP candidate Mirza Abbas has been campaigning in a different manner as his supporters have come under attack.

Abbas claimed that he had to resort to "guerrilla style" campaigning because of the attacks by the ruling alliance.

He also accused the ruling party men of patrolling the constituency on motorbikes to prevent him from campaigning.

Rashed Khan Menon won in the 2008 and 2014 elections from the constituency, while Mirza Abbas was the winner in 1991 and 2001.

There are a total of 264,893 voters in the constituency.

Though Awami League’s arch rival BNP seems absent from the campaigning field, candidates from several minor parties have been conducting campaigns regularly.

Socialist Party of Bangladesh candidate Shampa Basuhas been distributing leaflets and urging people to vote for her.

While speaking to the Dhaka Tribune,she claimed people were disgruntled with the present government and are eager to vote for the left-wing nominated candidates.

While Islami Andolan candidate Abul Kasem’s supporters have hung posters in several areas, including Bangla Motor, Moghbazar and Shantinagar, they were also absent from field-level electioneering.