AL, BNP 'rebels' mount agitation for tickets

(Clockwise) A BNP aspirant's supporters wearing burial cloth block a road in Chandpur town, Awami League activists lie on road during hartal in Purbadhaka in Netrakona protesting nomination to a party leader, BNP men form human chain in Mymensigh town demanding change in nomination and an Awami League procession in Gaibandha-3 for ticket to their leader. PHOTO: STAR

They staged show of strength by holding rallies, bringing out processions, blocking highways and enforcing hartal demanding nomination and cancellation of tickets to party rivals. Hartal was enforced in Sirajganj, Narail and Netrakona yesterday.

In Chandpur, several thousand Awami League leaders and workers brought out a procession and held a rally at the Shapla Chattar in the town yesterday rejecting the 'grand alliance' ticket to Prof Md. Abdullah and demanding nomination of AL leader Md. Yusuf Gazi from Chandpur-4 constituency (Sadar and Humchar upazilas).

Abdullah, a former BNP lawmaker recently joined the Liberal Democratic Party led by dissident BNP leaders Prof Badruddoza Chowdhury and Col (rtd) Oli Ahmed.

Yusus Gazi is former president of Chandpur district Jubo League.

Speakers at the rally said leaders and activists of Awami League and its front organisation will boycott Abdullah if the nomination is not changed, a correspondent reported.

AL leaders advocate Mojibur Rahman, advocate Anwar Gazi, Mokbul Maji, Jubo League leader Md. Ali Maji, Boju Mollah, Jafar Ahmed and Jahangir addressed the rally, among others.

Supporters of Md. Yusuf Gazi came from far away places to attend the programme, party men said.

Yusus Gazi ran second in 2001 election, according to election officials.

On the previous day, several thousand supporters of BNP ticket aspirant Shaikh Farid Ahmed brought out a big procession in the town wearing burial cloth for his nomination from Chandpur-4 constituency. They demanded cancellation of the nomination to district BNP president and former lawmaker AS Sultan Titu.

In Chandpur-3 constituency, supporters of 'rebel' BNP leader Sabur Khan blocked Comilla-Chandpur highway at Baburhat on Thursday for cancellation of four-party alliance nomination of GM Fazlul Haq.

In Narail-1 constituency (Kalia upazila), a day-long hartal was enforced by supporters of district BNP senior vice-president Jahangir Alam Biswas protesting nomination of former BNP lawmaker Dhirendra Nath Saha. The hartal was observed peacefully and no untoward incident was reported, a correspondent reported.

Both Jahangir Alam and Dhirmendra Nath submitted nomination papers to contest the coming election from the constituency.

In Nareakona-5 constituency (Purbadhala and Dhubaura upazilas), Awami League activists loyal to grand alliance ticket aspirants retired DIG Abdul Hannan Khan and Principal Sirajul Islam enforced a half-day hartal in Purbadhala upazila yesterday protesting nomination of Warasat Hossen Belal from the constituency.

During hartal, they also held several meetings in the area, vowing to resist Belal, and brought out processions. There was chase and counter-chase between pickets and police at some areas of the upazila as the hartal enforcers stopped traffic on roads.

Road communication from Purbadhala to others parts of the district remained suspended.

Both Abdul Hannan Khan and Principal Sirajul Islam submitted nomination papers to contest from the constituency but they were denied ticket by the 4-party alliance.

On Thursday, several thousand Awami League leaders and activists brought out a procession and held a rally in Netrakona town rejecting the nomination of central AL leader Manjur Kader from Netrakona-3 constituency (Atpara and Kendua upazilas).

They demanded nomination of party leader and industrialist Iftakaruddin Pintu, who sought grand alliance ticket from the area and submitted nomination paper.

The procession was led by Khairul Islam, former president of Atpara upazila Awami League; Abu Taher, chairman of Ashujia Union Parishad in Kendua and also vice-president of Kendua upazila AL and six other UP chairmen in Kendua upazila.

They paraded slogans against Manjur Kader.

After the procession and the rally, they held a press conference at the News Media Centre at Chutabazar in the town, where they alleged that Manjur Kader is unpopular and not involved in political activities.

They urged the AL high command to nominate Iftakaruddin Pintu in the interest of people of the area and the grand alliance.