Hasina solicits vote for ailing Syed Ashraf from Kishoreganj constituents

Awami League President Sheikh Hasina has asked the people of Kishoreganj to vote for ex-general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam.

Syed Ashraf, undergoing treatment in Thailand, is contesting for the Kishoreganj-1 parliamentary constituency consisted of Sadar and Hossainpur Upazilas in the Dec 30 election.

On Tuesday afternoon, the prime minister spoke to the people in the constituency from Suddha Sadan in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi via video call. “As Mr Syed Ashraf is ill and I cannot visit all the places, I would like to seek vote from you for the ‘boat’ symbol through this video conference," she told them.

She urged the supporters to work together in order to ensure victory of all the candidates of the Awami League-led Grand Alliance candidates in Kishoreganj. The ruling party has left one of the six seats in the district for the Jatiya Party to contest with its ‘plough’ symbol.

“Please work together so that Mr Syed Ashraf can win. I pray for his quick recovery and return,” she said.

It was the first time Hasina campaigned through video conference. Earlier in the day, she spoke to the party’s candidate for the Bandarban seat Bir Bahadur Ushwe Sing and his supporters via video call.

Syed Ashraf, son of Syed Nazrul Islam, one of the four national leaders killed in the jail in 1975, left for the United Kingdom after the assassination. He returned later and became a member of parliament on the AL ticket from the seat in 1996. He was re-elected in 2001, 2008 and 2014.

Ashraf was entrusted with the duties of Awami League general secretary when central leaders including Hasina were put behind bars during the 2007-08 emergency rule. He proved his mettle when the military-controlled government sought to punish politicians and banish the two top politicians - Hasina and Khaleda Zia.

Hasina, however, removed him as the local government minister in 2015. He also lost the party’s number second most important position in its last council. He is a member of the Awami League’s presidium now.

The 67-year old politician is suffering from lung cancer and receiving treatment in Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok. He took leave from parliament on Sept 18 due to his sickness.