People will vote for me: Mannan

Opposition alliance-backed MA Mannan is vying for the mayoral post in the maiden Gazipur City Corporation poll. He was once a state minister but was defeated in three consecutive national polls from the Gazipur Sadar constituency.

Mannan was elected an MP from Gazipur Sadar in 1991 and the BNP-led government made him the State Minister for religious affairs. He was removed from the post after allegations of mismanagement over renting houses during Hajj surfaced.

He was defeated in the 1996 and 2001 national elections from the same constituency. In 2001, he was denied BNP nomination but took part in the elections as an independent candidate, but lost, leading to his expulsion from the BNP.

Undeterred, Mannan again took part in the by-polls after the death of Ahsanullah Master in 2004 but had a tough luck.

Mannan is contesting the Gazipur polls on a ‘television’ symbol. Although the Election Commission declared his nomination valid, the National Board of Revenue has recently served him a notice impounding his bank account for non-payment of overdue income tax.

Although the Jatiya Party has not formally lent support to any candidates in the polls, a local faction of the party is reportedly working for Mannan.

The issue of Hifazat-e Islam is also playing a part in the polls like the previously conducted four city polls.

bdnews24.com’s Reazul Bashar, Ashik Hossain, and Abul Hossain caught up with him in Gazipur. Photojournalist Mustafiz Mamun accompanied them.

During the interview, he claimed the people were fed up with the government but sidestepped question on corruption allegations against him. Mannan said he was an honest, worthy and reliable candidate and hoped to win the ready-made garment workers’ vote. The opposition-backed candidate also launched a scathing attack on the ruling party-backed aspirant and branded him a ‘failed Tongi Mayor’.

bdnews24.com:

How’s the overall situation in the polls?

Mannan:

It’s positive. I will win this election with a huge margin.

bdnews24.com:

Is there any special reason behind your confidence?

Mannan:

I won from this constituency in 1991 and became the State Minister for Religious Affairs. I had worked tirelessly for the welfare of my people during that period, something they remember. People want to elect an honest, worthy, and reliable candidate. That’s why they have selected me.

Moreover, various national issues are getting importance [in the polls]. The ruling government’s corruption, and particularly the incident involving the Hifazat has shaken the people. They are harbouring a discontent. So, they will not vote for the government-backed candidates.

bdnews24.com:

What do you have to say on the corruption allegation over renting houses during Hajj when you were the State Minister for religious affairs?

Mannan:

They (the government) are spreading this canard only to weaken my vote bank. The Awami League formed the government in 1996 and investigated whether I had indulged in any corruption. I was not involved with corruption, I am clean.

bdnews24.com:

How are you evaluating the role of the ruling coalition member, the Jatiya Party, in this election?

Mannan:

The Jatiya Party has locally supported us and many of their activists are campaigning for me.

bdnews24.com:

How confident are you about drawing votes of the ready-made garment workers?

Mannan:

I will get their vote. They are panic-stricken after the US recently suspended the GSP facility for Bangladesh. They understand it very well that it is the result of the government’s failures. The owners of Tazreen Fashions, Rana Plaza are leaders of the Awami League. And so, I believe, they are angry with the Awami League and will vote for me.

bdnews24.com:

The Awami League candidates had won from the Gazipur Sadar constituency in the past several elections. Are you still hopeful of winning?

Mannan:

That happened for different reasons. I contested the polls independently in 2001 after failing to get nomination from my party. The Awami League candidate won the polls as the two of us (BNP candidates) were contesting. So, you can’t say only Awami League candidates win polls here because this area after all is a BNP stronghold.

Ahsanullah Master’s son won the by-polls because of people’s emotions after his father’s killing.

bdnews24.com:

How do you evaluate Azmat Ullah Khan (AL-backed aspirant) as a person?

Mannan:

He has been the Tongi municipality Mayor for 17 years. He did not work for the well-being of the people. Still today, the slightest of rain inundates Tongi. Waste management and road conditions are really bad. He has failed to discharge his duties.

bdnews24.com:

What would you do for the people if you win the polls?

Mannan:

If I win, I will work to improve the roads, reduce traffic jams, develop educational facilities, set up a public university, install a 500-bed hospital in Gazipur. I have plans to set up a community hospital for the workers, and form a fund for workers’ welfare.