Political scenario unchanged at Sylhet-1, 4 even after delimitation
November 12, 2008
The political scenario remains unchanged at Sylhet-1 and 4 constituencies, even after delimitation because there has emerged no third party to challenge BNP and Awami League (AL), sources said. Previously Sylhet-1 constituency was consisted of sadar and Companiganj upzillas. As per new delimitation, Companiganj upazilla has been shifted to Sylhet-4. Now Sylhet-1 encompasses city corporation and sadar upazilla while Sylhet-4 comprises Companiganj, Goainghat and Jaintapur upazillas.
However, even after delimitation Sylhet-1 has the largest number of voters among all the constituencies. The number of voters is 4.12 lakh (City Corporation 2.56 lakh, sadar upazilla 1.56 lakh). In contrast, the number of voters at Sylhet-4 constituency is 2.83 lakh (Goainghat 1.33 lakh, Jaintapur 77 thousand and Companiganj 73 thousand).
As regards the probable candidates at Sylhet-4 constituency, it is not yet clear who those taking preparation for contesting are. Independent sources said that Imran Ahmed and Dilder Hossain Salim are the likeliest candidates from Awami League and BNP. On the other hand, a section of the leaders and the workers of Jatiya Party (JP) think that this party has also an opportunity to take this seat. According to a survey carried out by a news agency, the success will depend upon the support of the stone workers of Bholaganj in Companiganj upazilla. Salim has a very cordial relationship with these workers and if he can maintain it, victory cannot be ruled out.
On the other hand, the Awami League workers look confident of winning at Sylhet-1. They claim that Mayor Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran won a landslide victory in the 2008 city corporation election and that tempo still exists. But BNP argues that the city corporation election and the Jatiya Sangsad Poll are not alike. Many BNP and Jamaat-i-Islam workers cast their votes for Kamran as the 4-party alliance had no official candidate. “As we shall put our candidate at this constituency, the 14-party alliance may not be able to repeat their success,” said a leader of 4-party alliance on condition of anonymity.
Source: The Bangladesh Today
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