Jamaat has no candidate in important seats

The Chittagong-9 (Kotwali-Bakaliya) seat is important for all political parties for strategic reasons. This time the seat was even more important for Jamaat-e-Islami. Because Jamaat-dominated Chittagong College, Haji Muhammad Mohsin College and Chawkbazar are located here. Realizing the importance of the seat, Jamaat-e-Islami had already started campaigning. But if the candidature of candidate Dr. AKM Fazlul Haque is cancelled due to dual citizenship, Jamaat will no longer have any part in this seat.
Md. Nezam Uddin of Nezam Islami Party is now the candidate of Jamaat alliance in this seat. After the cancellation of the candidature of heavyweight candidate Dr. AKM Fazlul Haque, Jamaat’s campaign in this seat has also stopped.
Besides, some seats have abandoned their partners; where there was never any talk of Jamaat-e-Islami winning. However, Jamaat leaders in those constituencies say that in the past, Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and activists could not work for their own candidates in these constituencies. They have spent their lives working only for the candidates of the alliance. Although they are angry about this, they are not speaking outside the party’s decision.
Dr. Md. Abu Naser was the Jamaat-e-Islami candidate in Chittagong-8 (Chandgaon-Boalkhali) constituency. But because of the alliance, it was left in the hands of the NCP. Here, the NCP candidate is Md. Jobairul Hasan Arif. Jamaat-e-Islami has left the Chittagong-12 (Patia) constituency to one of the alliance partners, LDP. Here, LDP’s M. Yakub Ali is the candidate. In Chittagong-13 constituency, Khelafat-e-Majlis candidate Mohammad Imran Ali has become the alliance candidate. In this constituency too, Jamaat’s candidate Mahmudul Hasan has been active in campaigning for a long time under the tag. Earlier, he told Usam Somi, we have always worked for BNP because of the alliance. This time, the people of Anwara-Karnaphuli will be interested in voting in Daripalla.
Jamaat’s candidate for Chittagong-10 constituency is Shamsuzzaman Helali and Jamaat’s candidate for Chittagong-11 constituency is Shafiul Alam. Both are former ward councilors of Chittagong City Corporation. Chittagong-11 constituency was kept for Islamic Movement in alliance. Shafiul Alam said that he will contest this constituency if no agreement is reached with the alliance partners.
Besides, Jamaat has left Chittagong-14 constituency for LDP candidate Professor Omar Farooq. Omar Farooq’s father Colonel (Retd.) Oli Ahmed has been elected from this constituency repeatedly in the past. However, he is not contesting this election anymore. In the past, Colonel Oli contested Chittagong-15 (Lohagara-Satkania part) constituency thrice and won once. This time, Jamaat has captured it in alliance. Jamaat candidates have won here three times in the four elections from 1991 to 2008. Jamaat’s strong candidate in this seat is Shahjahan Chowdhury. Jamaat is also desperate to win in Chittagong-16 (Baanshkhali) seat. Jamaat’s candidate here is Zahirul Islam.