Awami League chooses new faces for upcoming election

The Awami League’s list of candidates for the upcoming general election includes new faces such as former student leaders, a cricketer, a film star, policemen, former bureaucrats, physicians and businessmen.

Reazul Bashar Golam Muztaba  Dhruba, Kazi Mobarak Hossain, and Faisal Atikbdnews24.com
Published : 26 Nov 2018, 04:08 AM
Updated : 26 Nov 2018, 04:09 AM

Most of the candidates, however, were sitting parliamentarians.

Some influential central committee leaders and whips have been dropped to pave the way for the new generation engaging in the parliamentary race.

The Awami League began to issue its initial approval to candidates for the 11th national election on Sunday for at least 238 seats, leaving the rest for its alliance partners.

AL Office Secretary Abdus Sobhan Golap got the nomination for the first time. The AL chose him over their Organising Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim for the Madaripur-3 seat.

Two central leaders from Shariatpur, Iqbal Hossain Apu and former Chhatra League President AKM Enamul Haque Shamim, are making their debut to contest Shariatpur-1 and Shariatpur-2 seats, replacing Organising Secretary BM Mozammel and Deputy Speaker Shawkat Ali

Awami League Cultural Affairs Secretary Asim Kumar Ukil has been nominated for the first time from the Netrokona-3 seat. His wife Apu Ukil is a woman MP from a reserve seat.

Assistant Personal Secretary to the Prime Minister  Saifuzzaman Shekhor  has been nominated from Magura-1 seat. Md Asaduzzaman, the father of Shekhor and a former Chhayra League leader was elected MP multiple times from Magura. He was the leader of the opposition during the second parliament.

Dhaka Metropolitan Awami League General Secretary Sadek Khan is replacing Joint-Secretary Jahangir Kabir Nanak for the Dhaka -13 seat.

The nomination of cricketer Mashrafe Bin Mortaza has been interesting due to the cricket star’s huge popularity throughout the country. Mashrafe will contest the election from the Narail-2 seat.

The Awami League also nominated film star Akbar Hossain Pathan Farook for the Dhaka-17 (Gulshan-Banani) seat.

Rupali Bank Chairman Manzur Hossain bagged the nomination for Faridpur-2 seat over another joint-secretary of the party, Abdur Rahman.

Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith was not interested in running for office again, despite buying a nomination form. His brother AK Abdul Momen, who has been serving as resident representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations, bagged the Awami League’s  for the same seat Sylhet-1.

Despite losing two previous elections, the prime minister’s adviser on the private sector, Salman F Rahman, has been nominated for the Dhaka-1 seat. He lost to the Jatiya Party contestant in a race for Dohar-Nababganj seat during the 10th national election and also lost in 2001 election from the same seat.

Former Inspector General of Police Nur Mohammed got the Awami League ticket for Kishoreganj-2.

Business woman Selima Ahmed, wife of Nitol-Niloy Group owner Abdul Matlub Ahmed got the AL nomination for the Cumilla-2 seat.

The Awami League did not nominate present MP Abdur Rahman Bodi for Cox’s Bazar-4 seat because of several criminal complaints against him but chose his wife Shahina Akhter Chowdhury instead.

Similarly, the party chose Ataur Rahman Khan, father of present MP Amanur Rahman Khan Rana for Tangail-3, as Rana remains in jail over the murder of an Awami League leader.

Dr Samil Uddin Ahmmed Shimul, organising secretary of the Rajshahi wing of Swadinata Chikitshak Parishad- a group of physicians supporting the AL, has been nominated for the Chapainawabganj-1 seat. Another physician Dr Abdul Aziz won the nomination over current Sirajganj-3 MP Gazi MM Amzad Hossain.

Ziaur Rahman, who had won in the 9th national election, was nominated for the Chapainawabganj-2 seat over the present MP.

Barrister Nizam Uddin Jalil, the son of the late former Awami League Secretary General Abdul Jalil, has been nominated for the first time from his father’s seat Naogaon-5.

Awami League Organising Secretary Muhibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel got the party’s nomination for Chattogram-9. His father late Mahiuddin Chowdhury was the former mayor of Chattogram.

Netrokona District Awami League Vice-President Manu Majumdar bagged the nomination for the first time from Netrokona-1 seat.

Former MP Ashraf Ali Khan Khasroo made a return to the Netrokona-2 seat, replacing Deputy Minister for Sports Arif Khan Joy has been dropped.

Former president of Kushtia District Chhatra League AKM Sarwar Jahan has been nominated for Kushtia-1 and barrister Selim Altaf George for the Kushtia-4 seat. George’s grandfather Golam Kibria was an MP during the Bangabandhu government and was assassinated during an Eid congregation.

Tahzib Alam Siddiqui Somi, who won the last election as an independent candidate against the Awami League candidate, was this time picked for the Jhenaidah-2 seat for the party.

Former MP Shafikul Azam Khan who failed to get it in the 10th national election has bagged the nomination this time for Jhenaidah-3.

Retired Maj Gen Nasir Uddin has been nominated for the Jashore-2 seat and current independent MP Swapan Bhattacharya was nominated for Jashore-5.

Sarhan Naser Tanmoy, the son of Sheikh Helal, is making his debut in the election from Bagherhat-2. Another debutant Sheikh Salahuddin Jewel, the son of Bangabandhu’s brother Sheikh Naser, is contesting from Khulna-2.  

Khulna District Awami League General Secretary Akhtaruzzaman Babu got nominated for the Khulna -6 seat for the first time.

The Awami League chose Shariful Islam Bakul instead of Abul Kalam Azad for Natore-1 seat.

Ahmed Firoz Kabir, son of former MP Ahmed Tafiz Uddin has been nominated for the Pabna-2 seat.

Former State Minister for Religious Affairs Shahjahan Mia is contesting the Patuakhali-1 seat.

Central Krishak League General Secretary Khondokar Shamsul Haque Reza got the nomination for the first time from Patukhai-2 seat. He is the son of former MP Abdul Aziz Khondokar who was a prominent organiser of the Liberation War in Patuakhali.

Former Chhatra League leader SM Shahajada will run for the Patuakhali-3 seat for first time. He is the nephew of Chief election Commissioner K M Nurul Huda.

Muhibur Rahman Muhib has been nominated from the Patukhali-4 seat, while Awami League Central Law Secretary SM Rezaul Karim was nominated for Pirojpur-1 for the first time.

Zahid Farook Shamim has been chosen instead of Begum Jebunnesa Afroze for the constituency of Barishal-5.

Dhirendra Devnath Shambhu, who was elected as MP several times, has received joint approval alongside Barguna Awami League General Secretary Jahangir Kabir for the Barguna-1 seat.

Present MPs in three constituencies in Tangail have been dropped from the nomination list. Tanvir Hasan alias Chhoto Manir, Ahsanul Islam Titu, Jowaherul Islam made it to the nominee list instead of Khonodokar Asaduzzaman, Khonodokar Abdul Baten and Anupam Shahjahan Joy for the seats-Tangail-2, 6 and 8.  

In Jamalpur, Murad Hasan has been chosen for Jamalpur-4 instead of the present MP. In Jamalpur-5, Mozaffar Hossain has received joint approval alongside current MP Rezaul Karim Heera.  

Former Awami League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam, who is receiving treatment abroad, received the party’s approval for Kishoreganj-1 but Mashiur Rahman Humayun has been named in the list for the same seat.