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RAJSHAHI-1

AL campaign heats up amid internal strife
ANWAR ALI, Rajshahi
In Rajshahi-1, the Awami League’s election campaign is intensifying as the ruling party candidate continues to face challenges from within the party.
AL candidate Omor Faruk Chowdhury is up against three AL independents -- Golam Rabbani, Md Akteruzzaman, and Sharmin Akter Nipa, also known as Mahiya Mahi.
Another AL leader Ayesha Akter Dalia, disqualified for faulty nomination documents, is fighting a legal battle for reinstatement at the Supreme Court.
Omor Faruk is the incumbent of Rajshahi-1 constituency and has been nominated by the AL for the same seat. He served as the state minister of industries from September 2012 to January 2014.
Golam Rabbani is the former president of Tanore Upazila AL, who sought AL nomination for the same seat but got rejected, similar to the case of Akteruzzaman, Mahiya and Dalia.
Dalia is a member of AL sub committee on industries and commerce affairs.
“I’m optimistic about contesting in the election as others with similar faults have already regained their candidature,” she said.
ALLEGATIONS AGAINST AL CANDIDATE
At least nine complaints have been submitted to the election commission by the independents against the AL candidate, claiming his supporters are turning the election environment hostile.
Golam Rabbani claimed yesterday that supporters of the AL candidate tore down all his posters in Rishikul union.
On Friday night, Mahiya Mahi reportedly faced threats from Rajshahi city AL General Secretary Dablu Sarker when she was campaigning at Tanore upazila.
The election enquiry committee on December 21 issued a show cause notice to the AL candidate’s supporter Fazle Rabbi Farhad.
Besides, Md Billal Hossain, the assistant returning officer of the constituency, yesterday issued a warning to teachers of different educational institutes against campaigning for any candidates.
‘VOTE FOR CHANGE’
The three independent candidates from within AL are actively campaigning against the AL candidate, urging voters to “vote for change”.
“My fight is not against the boat symbol. My fight is against Chowdhury... he will have to cry on election day. Because, people will cast their votes against him that day,” Mahiya Mahi said during electioneering in Tanore on Thursday.
Mahia also said she wants to end the “Zamindari system” the AL candidate created in the constituency.
During a campaign, Golam Rabbani claimed to have the backing of numerous senior AL leaders and activists who felt neglected by the AL candidate for an extended period.
AL candidate Omor Faruk Chowdhury is also not just sitting around. He said no true AL activists can vote against the “boat”.
“When anyone fails to get a party nomination, they lose the right to contest polls. If they contest, they are no longer an Awami League activist,” he told a meeting recently.