GAZIPUR, Nov 11: Though the Awami League (AL) aspirants for the next general election are campaigning, BNP has been keeping mum. Actually, the AL aspirants have kept the election field vibrant.
AL has occupied all the five seats of Gazipur. Of those, Gazipur-1 Constituency is more important, which is formed with six wards of Gazipur City Corporation, Kaliakoir Municipality and nine unions of Kaliakoir Upazila.
The AL aspirants are campaigning regularly. The possible candidates are: present lawmaker AKM Mozammel Haque, Convener of Gazipur City AL Kamrul Ahsan Sarker Russell, Kaliakoir Upazila Parishad Chairman and former central leader of Bangladesh Chhatra League Rezaul Karim Russell, Upazila AL President and former Upazila Parishad Chairman Kamal Uddin Sikder, and Supreme Court lawyer and Gazipur City AL member Advocate SM Shafiqul Islam Babul.
In 2008 election, AL candidate AKM Mozammel Haque defeated the strong candidate of BNP Chowdhury Tanvir Ahmed Siddiqi. He became MP again in the 2014 election unopposed. After winning the election, he was made Liberation War Affairs Minister. Besides, some leaders of Kaliakoir are lobbying strongly to ensure nomination.
Aspirant Kamrul Ahsan Sarker Russell said he has great popularity among grassroots, especially among the young generation. He thinks he will be able to continue development spree of the government if he gets nomination and is elected.
Aspirant Rezaul Karim Russell said he is a local people. For long, no local candidate was elected here. He has achieved much popularity campaigning here for long.
Aspirant Kamal Uddin Sikder said he has long been in political field, and is hopeful about getting nomination.
Advocate SM Shafiqul Islam Babul said he is well known as a neat and clean politician. He has been involved in AL politics for long.
On the other hand, there are four possible BNP candidates. They are: District BNP General Secretary (GS) Kazi Sayedul Islam Babul, Sadar Upazila BNP GS and former GS of Bhawal College Suruz Ahmed, Kaliakoir Municipality BNP President and BNP's central committee member Humayun Kabir Khan, Kaliakoir Upazila BNP GS and former Vice Chairman of Upazila Parishad Md Helal Uddin.
The BNP aspirants alleged that they can't campaign as they have been implicated in different cases.
Meanwhile, Jatiya Party candidates Khandaker Abdus Salam and Md Shariful Islam will take part in the election but they are absent from campaigning.
