FROM PAGE 5

supporters have been chanting boycott slogans against the NCP.

“Jamaat activists and supporters have been continuing this opposition both on social media and in public. Jamaat still has not officially campaigned for the NCP candidate,” said Rokibul Hasan, chief election agent of the NCP candidate and coordinator of the party’s Boalkhali unit.

“Instead of cooperation from our alliance partner Jamaat, we are facing opposition. We have already informed the central leaders of the alliance about these issues,” he added.

Chattogram-8 constituency has 5,49,136 registered voters and 179 polling stations. A total of seven candidates are contesting the seat.

The BNP candidate is Ershad Ullah, president of Chattogram City BNP.

During visits to the constituency over the past two days, voters said they remained unclear about the candidate representing the 11-party alliance.

Tarek Bin Sagir, a voter from Chandgaon, told The Daily Star, “We want to support the anti-fascist forces in the upcoming polls but remain uncertain whom to vote for, as two candidates associated with the July movement appear to be contesting from the same alliance.”

Saimun Sultana Priya, a homemaker from Gomdandi in Boalkhali, said, “I heard that the Jamaat candidate has withdrawn. But people on Facebook and elsewhere are saying he might return to the race. So we are confused about who the alliance’s candidate actually is.”

Contacted, alliance candidate Arif said he has yet to receive any support from Jamaat.

“Local Jamaat leaders approached our leaders in Boalkhali seeking permission for their candidate to contest this seat, but the NCP central leadership did not approve it,” he said.

He said he hopes Jamaat will join his campaign soon.