BNP still confused, JP relaxed in Sylhet-2 seat

Jatiya Party candidate Md Yahya Chowdhury is running election campaign in a relaxed mood in the Sylhet-2 constituency after BNP candidate Tahmina Rushdir Luna dropped out of the race for the Dec 30 polls.

The High Court had rejected the nomination of Rushdir, the wife of missing BNP leader Ilias Ali, based on a writ petition filed by JP leader Yahya Chowdhury.

BNP supporters postponed their election campaign after the Rushdir was dropped. They are still confused as to whether they should support Oikya Front leader Mukabbir Khan, who has replaced Rushdir in the seat.

BNP supporters will resume their campaign after receiving instructions form the party’s central alliance, Biswanath Upazila BNP Vice-chairman Md Sohel Ahmed Chowdhury told bdnews24.com.

“BNP supporters are depressed over the HC decision blocking Ilias Ali’s wife to run for polls. However, an attempt was made to get central support from the other partners of the Jatiya Oikya Front, but a decision has yet to be made,” he said.

The BNP has yet to decide whether it will back Gono Forum leader Mukabbir Khan, a candidate using the ‘rising sun’ symbol from the Oikya Front alliance or Oikya Front alliance candidate Mohammad Muntasir Ali, who is running for the polls with the ‘clock’ symbol.

However, top leaders of Gono Forum are seeking support on behalf of Mukabbir Khan, according to the upazila and metropolitan BNP leaders.

Mukabbir Khan has already contacted district BNP leaders on Sunday to get support from other partners, but a decision has not been made as of Tuesday.

Ilias Ali was elected in 2001 as a representative of the BNP from Sylhet-2, consisting of Osmani Nagar and Bishwanath Upazila. He has been missing since 2012.

Later Shafiqur Rahman Chowdhury, an Awami League leader who returned from the US, was elected as the MP after the disappearance of Elias. JP leader Yahya Chowdhury was elected as a parliament member in 2014.

BNP picked up Rushdir to contest the seat but she was rejected to run for the national polls after the JP candidate filed a writ petition against her nomination.

The Grand Alliance granted nomination to JP leader Yahya Chowdhury, rejecting Awami League leader Shafiqur Rahman Chowdhury.

Local Awami League leaders have also some objections over the nomination of Yahya Chowdhury. Awami League leader Shafiqur Rahman has yet to participate in his election campaign as of Sunday.

But Yahya claims the support of Awami League leaders will be always with him and that they will join the campaign on Dec 28.

“Although the activists and supporters of the ruling Awami League did not directly participate in the campaign of the Grand Alliance, we fully support him,” Awami League leader Shafiqur Rahman said.

Yahya Chowdhury said he was a ‘hundred percent confident’ over the win in the Dec 30 election.