Nomination aspirants from major political parties are in the race for nomination for Kishoreganj-2 constituency comprising Katiadi and Pakundia upazilas ahead of the 12th parliament elections.
According to district election office sources, in the eight parliament elections held from 1973 to 2001, Pakundia and Hossainpur upazilas comprised Kishoreganj-1 and Katiadi upazila comprised Kishoganj-2 parliamentary seat.
But before the elections held on December 29, 2008, when the seven constituencies of the district were rearranged into six, the Kishoreganj-1 seat comprising Pakundia and Hossainpur upazilas was abolished. As per the arrangement, Hossainpur and Kishoreganj Sadar upazilas comprised Kishoreganj-1 while Pakundia and Katiadi upazilas comprised Kishoreganj-2.
Under Kishoreganj-2 constituency, there are 2,69,069 voters in Katiadi upazila has and 2,18,119 voters in Pakundia upazila.
According to several sources of the district Awami League, nomination aspirants from the party include current MP Noor Mohammad, district AL General Secretary MA Afzal, former MP and convener of Pakundia upazila AL Sohrabuddin, former additional DIG of police freedom fighter Abdul Kahar Akand, and Pakundia Upazila Parishad Chairman Md Rafiqul Islam Renu.
Rajiv Kumar Ghosh, assistant religious affairs secretary of Bangladesh Jatiyatavadi Krishak Dal Central Committee, will seek nomination from BNP in Kishoreganj-2 (Katiadi-Pakundia) constituency, said party sources. In 2014, he was forced to leave the country due to the wrath of political opponents. Currently he outside the country but his followers are active in the area.
He gained popularity in the area by working for the welfare of people, said several locals.
Despite internal conflict among party men of BNP in Katiadi and Pakundia upazilas, local leaders and activists claim that they are more united than before.
A few potential candidates of BNP are keeping regular contact with the central leaders in the hope of getting the party nomination.
Among them are district BNP Joint General Secretary Shahiduzzaman Kankan, also an economist working for the Swedish Government, Bangladesh Jatiyatavadi Krishak Dal Central Committee Assistant Religious Affairs Secretary Rajiv Kumar Ghosh, Pakundia Upazila BNP Convenor Senior lawyer Jalaluddin, former MP Major (Retd) Akhtaruzzaman Ranjan, district BNP former vice president Ashfaq Ahmed June.
Meanwhile, nomination hopefuls from Jatiya Party and Islami Andolan Bangladesh are also active in the field.
Jatiya Party leaders are not that much popular in this constituency.
Leaders and activists of Islami Andolan Bangladesh said that their party’s Majlis-e-Shura (central committee) field candidates in parliament elections and they all work for the particular candidate in each constituency.
Several voters said they are grateful to incumbent MP Nur Mohammad as he has done a lot of development work in the area.
However, local AL’s main problem now is intra-party conflict and BNP wants to use this opportunity. There are groupings within BNP too but it does not seem to be that much.
Noor Mohammad MP said he has repeatedly discussed with the leaders of the district and the central Awami League to resolve the internal conflict in the area.
“With people's love, I was elected from here. I hope that the people will vote for me in future as well,” said Noor Mohammad, also former IGP, ambassador and secretary.
Former MP of Kishoreganj-2 (Katiadi-Pakundia) constituency and convenor of Pakundia upazila AL Sohrabuddin also expressed hope of winning if he gets the party nomination.
Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Krishak Dal Central Committee Assistant Religious Affairs Secretary Rajiv Kumar Ghosh said, “I have been with the people and will remain so in future. If BNP decides to contest, I will seek nomination from the party.”
In the 11th National Parliament Election (2018) Noor Mohammad of AL won with 3,00,776 votes and BNP's Md Akhtaruzzaman got 54,050 votes.
In the 10th parliamentary election (2014), BNP boycotted the general election and withdrew their candidature, and AL nominee Sohrab Uddin was elected unopposed.
In the 9th Parliament Election (2008) Prof MA Mannan of AL won with 1,69,100 votes and BNP's Md Idris Ali Bhuiya got 97,012 votes.
In the 8th parliamentary election (2001) in the then Kishoreganj-1 (Pakundia-Hosenpur) AL’s Dr. Alauddin won with 86,621 votes while BNP's Md Idris Ali Bhuya got 86,509 votes.
In the 8th election (2001) in the then Kishoreganj-2 (Katiadi) AL's MA Mannan was elected with 50,205 votes while BNP's Md Akhtaruzzaman got 48,407 votes.
