Special Correspondent, Dhaka
Member of Parliament Salim Uddin Tarafdar, elected from Awami League in Naogaon-3 (Mahadevpur-Badalgachhi) constituency, has become a controversial leader in the last 5 years. There was no end to allegations of irregularities and corruption against him.
The leaders and activists of his own party were upset with him on various issues such as recruitment trade, corruption in government projects, possession of Balumahal and Khas lands, control of all contracting works in the area by nephews. He was also accused of forming committees with people of his own choice, leaving out long-tested leaders while spreading influence in party politics.
Even in various local government elections there are no less complaints of party nomination trading. In his two terms, this member of parliament became the owner of huge illegal money and assets, claims the local AL leaders.
Even though these matters of Salim Uddin Tarafdar are not much discussed at the national level, before the nomination of Awami League, the list of his misdeeds came up in several internal surveys. And that’s why he was not nominated in the twelfth parliamentary election. Naogaon district Awami League member Souren Chakraborty has been nominated for the seat instead.
Mahbubur Rahman Dhalu, an old leader of the local Awami League who himself has been harassed by MP Salim Uddin in various ways, told Bangla Herald, “The fact that the leader (Sheikh Hasina) made the nomination with all the investigation.”
Not only in this one seat, but in the country’s 298 seats, the way Awami League has nominated the candidates after careful analysis, there is a wide discussion going on within the party.
Awami League Advisory Council member Dr. Abdul Khaleq told Bangla Herald, “The leader (Sheikh Hasina) has been repeatedly saying from the beginning that qualified candidates will be nominated who can win the polls in terms of popularity. That is actually what we see. This nomination has been made keeping in mind the possibility of a contested election.”
The party wants to give a multi-faceted message in this nomination, thinks Dr. Khaleq.
Influential though controversial leaders excluded
Khandkar Mosharraf Hossain, Member of Parliament of Faridpur-3 Constituency, was in discussion for various reasons. He served as a minister for two consecutive terms in the Awami League government. However, he was not in the cabinet in the current government.
Mosharraf Hossain came to discuss the two local leaders of Faridpur about Rubel-Barakat’s illegal wealth worth thousands of rupees. District Awami League president Shamim Haque has been nominated for his seat.
Apart from this, Khandkar Mosharraf Hossain’s son-in-law Habibe Millat has been dropped. He is a Member of Parliament for Sirajganj-2 Constituency. This time, District Awami League Joint General Secretary Jannat Ara Henry has been nominated.
Former State Minister for Information Murad Hasan came under heavy criticism after the obscene and indecent phone conversations were leaked. After that, he was dropped from the cabinet and also lost the post of Awami League. This time he lost the party nomination. Instead of him Mahbubur Rahman, Secretary of Fisheries and Animal Affairs of Swechchhasebak League has been nominated for Jamalpur-4 seat. His father Abdul Malek was once a Member of Parliament of Awami League.
State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Zakir Hossain was criticized for his controversial comments. Member of Awami League’s information and research subcommittee Md. Biplab Hasan got the nomination instead.
Former Home Minister and current Member of Parliament Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir also did not get party nomination this time. His name comes to the discussion about the bank scam. Awami League Information and Research Secretary Salim Mahmud has been nominated for Chandpur-1 Constituency which consists of Kachua Upazila.
Pankaj Nath, former General Secretary of Swachhasebak League, became Member of Parliament twice in a row in Barisal-4 Constituency comprising Hijla and Mehendiganj upazilas. He was involved in disputes with party leaders and workers. This time also wanted the nomination of the party. However, he was left out of the list of nominees. Awami League’s International Affairs Secretary Shammi Ahmed has been nominated as a candidate here for the first time.
Businessman Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin became a Member of Parliament in the by-election of Dhaka-10 Constituency comprising Dhanmondi-Newmarket area of the capital. He is the former president of FBCCI, an apex body of traders, and BGMEA, an association of traders in the ready-made garment sector. This time, excluding him, the boat symbol has been handed over to actor Ferdous Ahmed.
Former Inspector General of Police and Member of Parliament for Kishoreganj-2 Noor Mohammad did not get party nomination this time. News of his conflict with local Awami League leaders made headlines several times. This time another former police officer Abdul Kahar Akand has been nominated by Awami League.
Saifuzzaman Shikhar is currently representing Magura-1 constituency in Parliament. He is the former Assistant Private Secretary to the Prime Minister. His father was a Member of Parliament four times. This time Bangladesh national cricket team captain Shakib Al Hasan has received party nomination there.
Member of Parliament for Manikganj-1 Constituency Naimur Rahman Durjoy, former captain of the national cricket team, also lost the party nomination. Allegations of land grabbing were made against him several times. District Awami League General Secretary Md. Abdus Salam got the nomination there.
Eng. Enamul Haque came to the discussion for various reasons. Apart from corruption recently his several indecent videos have got viral. This member of parliament of Rajshahi-4 seat has been dropped this time. Abul Kalam Azad, a member of Awami League’s sub-committee on forest and environment has been nominated here.
Tanveer Imam, son of late HT Imam, former adviser to the Prime Minister, has been dropped this time. Former Member of Parliament Shafiqul Islam has got the nomination in his constituency Sirajganj-4. He was Chairman of Ullapara Upazila Parishad, resigned recently.
Member of Parliament of Khulna-3 Constituency Begum Mannujan Sufian has been criticized for various reasons. She is the Minister of State for Labor in the current government. Awami League’s organizing secretary SM Kamal Hossain got the boat nomination here.
Barguna-2 Constituency Member of Parliament Shaukat Hachanur Rahman (Rimon) was discussed for various reasons. This time, Sultana Nadira, Member of Parliament for the reserved women’s seat, has been nominated there.
Waresat Hossain Belal, Member of Parliament of Netrokona-5 Constituency, recently came under criticism for a case filed by his wife. A young graduate student is accused in the case of kidnapping, forging his signature and extorting money by breaking his name. Awami League organizing secretary Ahmed Hossain has been nominated for this seat.
Moazzem Hossain (Ratan), Member of Parliament of Sunamganj-1 Constituency, was criticized for possession and corruption. This time, he has been replaced by District Awami League Organizing Secretary Ranjit Chandra Sarkar. And member of parliament of Sunamganj-2 seat Jaya Sengupta lost nomination. She is the wife of late Awami League leader Suranjit Sen Gupta. Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mahmud, brother of the current Inspector General of Police, Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, has been nominated here.
Subid Ali Bhuiyan, Member of Parliament of Comilla-1 Constituency, became controversial on various charges including grabbing government land. Abdus Sabur, science and technology affairs secretary of Awami League, got the boat nomination here.
Some of the controversial people of Chittagong area have also been left out of the list of nominees. Current Parliament Whip Samshul Haque Chowdhury has been in the face of controversies several times. Chittagong South District Awami League President Motaherul Islam Chowdhury has been nominated for Chittagong-12 Constituency. He recently resigned from the post of Patia Upazila Chairman.
Didarul Alam, Member of Parliament for the last two times in Chittagong-4 Constituency. There were various allegations against him including setting up a steel factory by cutting mountains. Recently resigned Chairman of Sitakunda Upazila Parishad SM Al Mamun has been nominated there. His father was once a member of parliament of Awami League here.
Member of Parliament for Cox’s Bazar-1 Constituency Zafar Alam was criticized for taking possession of forest land and carrying weapons. Former general secretary of Cox’s Bazar district Awami League Salah Uddin Ahmed has been nominated there.
Comeback of Nanak
In the last election, the fact that Jahangir Kabir Nanak did not get the nomination was a surprise to the party leaders and activists. This politician who emerged from the grassroots has been active in the difficult moments of the party at various times. Even after being known as a confidant of Sheikh Hasina, there were many discussions about why he did not get the nomination.
It was rumored that the embassy of a influential country had pointed the finger at him in the attack on the ambassador’s car. And that is why the service has to deprive him of nomination. Although there was never any statement from the party or Nanak on the matter.
Sadek Khan, the leader of the Dhaka Metropolitan Awami League, came to the discussion after receiving a fresh nomination in the 11th parliamentary election in the Dhaka-13 constituency consisting of Mohammadpur area. This time he was replaced by Jahangir Kabir Nanak, the old member of Parliament of this constituency, who is currently a member of the presidium of Awami League.
Advisor Dr. Abdul Khalek thinks that nomination to a democratic party is not only a means of getting power. Rather, it is also one of its objectives to give the leaders and activists an opportunity to make corrections.
‘Awami League has made that message very clear in this year’s nomination,’ the advisor added.