#Title

Trying to keep it within the family

Incumbent, former MPs stepping aside for family members to get AL nomination
PARTHA PRATIM BHATTACHARJEE
In many constituencies, incumbent and former lawmakers of the Awami League treat their seats with a dynastic perspective.
Often, incumbent MPs stood aside to let their children or family members buy AL nomination forms, while family members of former and deceased lawmakers sought party tickets.
So far this time, three incumbent AL lawmakers did not collect party nomination forms. Two of them -- Mosharraf Hossain from Chattogram-1 and HN Ashequr Rahman, AL treasurer, from Rangpur-5 -- let their sons seek nominations from their respective constituencies. Similarly, Anwar Hossain, former vice-chancellor of Jahangirnagar University, collected AL nomination for Netrakona-5 instead of his brother Waresat Hossain Belal, the sitting MP of this constituency.
Meanwhile, Haji Md Salim, MP from Dhaka 7, collected AL nomination forms alongside his two sons -- Sulaiman Selim and Irfan Selim. Irfan Selim is councillor for Ward-30 under Dhaka South City Corporation.
Manabendra Roy, son of Satish Chandra Roy -- former AL MP from Dinajpur-2 and former state minister for fisheries and livestock -- collected AL nomination form this time.
Farzana Rabbi Bubli, daughter of advocate Md Fazle Rabbi Miah, bought AL nomination forms for Gaibandha-5. Fazle Rabbi, who was MP of this seat seven times, died last year.
Mohibbur Rahman from Patuakhali-4 bought party nomination form again, alongside his wife Fatema Akter Rekha.
For Natore-4 constituency, 15 nomination-seekers collected AL forms, including Ashif Abdullah Shobon, district AL information secretary, and Koheli Quddus Mukti, district AL member. Ashif and Koheli are children of Abdul Kuddus, AL lawmaker from the seat who died on August 30.
For Cumilla-1, both incumbent MP Mohammad Shubid Ali Bhuiyan and his son Mohammad Ali Suman, also Daudkandi upazila parishad chairman, collected AL nomination forms.
Three children of Shamsur Rahman Sharif Dilu, former minister and AL MP from Pabna-4 who died in 2020, collected AL nomination forms. After Dilu’s demise, his widow and three children had sought party ticket for by-polls, but failed to secure party nomination.
This time again, Dilu’s two sons Galibur Rahman Sharif and Shakibur Rahman Sharif, and daughter Mahjabin Shirin Peya collected AL nomination forms. Peya’s husband Abul Kalam Azad, Ishwardi upazila AL general secretary, also sought nomination from this seat.
Durgapur upazila parishad chairman Jannatul Ferdous Ara Jhuma resigned from her post seeking AL nomination to contest the national poll from Netrokona-1. Jhuma is daughter of Jalal Uddin Talukder, former MP of this seat.
AKM Awal, former AL MP from Pirojpur-1, bought AL nomination form this time along with three of his brothers -- Habibur Rahman, district AL vice-president and Pirojpur municipality chairman; Mojibur Rahman, district AL joint general secretary and Pirojpur Sadar upazila parishad chairman; and Masiur Rahman Moharaj, district AL organising secretary.
So far, this time, three incumbent AL lawmakers did not collect party nomination forms. Two of them -- Mosharraf Hossain from Chattogram-1 and HN Ashequr Rahman from Rangpur-5 -- let their sons seek nominations from their respective constituencies.