Feud intensifies as Jamaat men set to get alliance ticket

The two alliance partners are at loggerheads in Dinmajpur for long as local BNP leaders have been demanding tickets for party men in the two Jatiya Sangsad seats, won by Jamaat in the last election.

Dedicated BNP leaders who seek ticket for the two constituencies are now 'aggrieved' and may run in the polls race as independent candidates or join Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) led by dissident BNP stalwarts Prof. Badrudozza Chowdhurt and Col (Rtd) Oli Ahmed, several front ranking leaders of the party told this correspondent.

Sources said the 4-party alliance 'confirmed' nomination of Jamaat leaders Md Aftab Uddin Mollah and Md Azizur Islam Chowdhury from Dinajpur-1 and Dinajpur-6 constituencies respectively.

In 2001 election, Md Abdullah Al Kafi of Jamaat was elected from Dinajpur-1 with 88,669 votes, defeating Abdur Rouf Chowdhury of Awami League, who got 60197 votes. Kafi died in September 2005.

Alliance ticket aspirant Md. Aftab Uddin Mollah lost to independent candidate Monoranjan Shill Gopal with a big margin of 65,000 votes in the by-election in Dinajpur-1 held in 2005 following the death of Kafi.

Jamaat leader Azizul Islam Chowdhury won from Dinajpur-6 in 2001. He got 1,10,598 votes against 88,943 polled by AL's Mostafizur Rahman.

Sources said four ticket seekers have purchased nomination papers for Dinajpur-1. They are Md. Bazlul Karim Bablu, Md. Abdul Mannan, Md. Abdur Rahim and Md Rezwanul Haque Rezu.

Seeking annonymity, some of them told this correspondent that they might run independently or join LDP if a Jamaat man is nominated from there.

Mokbulur Rahman Gorky is now in Dhaka to buy nomination paper for Dinajpur-6, his close aides said yesterday. There may be more aspirants, they said.

Meanwhile, both BNP and Jamaat leaders are campaigning for their respective candidates, heightening tension in the areas.

In 1996 polls, Awami League leaders Md Mostafizur Rahman Fizu and Abdur Rouf Chowdhury were elected from Dinajpur-6 and Dinajpur-1 respectively.

BNP is dogged by internal feud in Dinajpur-4 constituency also, where at least 11 party leaders have purchased nomination papers. Party sources there said Md. Akhtaruzzman Miah is almost certain to get 4-party alliance nomination from Dinajpur-6. The rivalry in the party will surface after declaration of nomination. BNP is divided into two groups in Dinajpur-4 constituency, one led by Md. Akhtaruzzaman and the other led by Md Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, also a nomination seeker.