AL faces tough task to 'please all' in Khulna

"Our allies may not stick to their demands because of their organisational weakness", said president of Khulna district Awami League Shaikh Harun-or-Rashid.

There are several aspirants on the list of nomination seekers who have no political footing in their areas, he said.

Hafiz Uddin Bhuiyan, a prominent labour leader and general secretary of Khulna district unit of Workers Party said allies of the 14-party combine are unlikely to aback out from their demands to contest from at least eight seats in the division. "We hope to win in all the eight seats", he said.

Md Khalid Hossain, a prominent JSD (Inu) leader in Khulna, said AL's allies actively participated in the on-going anti-government agitation and they should be taken along in the election to build a strong electoral alliance to face the ruling four-party alliance in the region. He brushed aside the contention that none of the smaller parties in the 14-party alliance has any political stronghold in any of the 10 districts in Khulna division. If nominated by the alliance, the smaller parties would contest polls with their party symbols, he said.

But the general secretary of Bagerhat district Awami League, Kamruzzaman Tuku, argued that said it would be "suicidal" for the alliance in case AL's allies do not contest with boat symbol because 'they do not have ogranisational strength in their respective areas'.

In 2001 election, Awami League bagged seven seats out of 37 in Khulna division. "We hope to get bag at least 25 seats in the next election", said Khulna city AL president Tulukder Khaleque MP.

Party sources said JSD chief Hasanul Huq Inu may seek nomination from Kushita-2, Jessore district NAP (M) secretary Enamul Huq from Jessore-2, Rabiul Alam of JSD from Jessore-3, Iqbal Kabir Zahid of Workers Party from Jessore-4 and its central secretary Bimol Biswas from Narail-1.

Sharif Nurul Ambia of JSD will contest from Narail-2, Workers Party leader Hafizur Rahman Bhuiyan from Khulna-5 and Mostafa Luftuillah of the party will seek nomination from Satkhira-1 constituency.

Seeking anonymity, a central leader of Awami League holding an important post in its Khulna district unit claimed that only JSD chief Hasanul Huq Inu and Workers Party central leader Bimol Biswas may win their seats while six others will be defeated.

"We will be losing six or seven seats where JSD, NAP and Workers Party candidates are insisting to contest", said lawmaker Talukder Abdul Khaleque who may play an important role in AL in deciding nominations in the region.