JS polls: AL versus AL in 100 seats

Prominent Awami League leaders, who include 26 members of current parliament, running as independents pose significant challenges to the officially endorsed candidates of the party at over a hundred constituencies in the upcoming national polls.

Officially nominated party candidates say they expected a central decision regarding the individuals who opted for independent candidacy after being denied party tickets to be communicated before submitting nomination papers.
 
However, as of now, no clear instructions on this matter have been provided, they say.
 
According to several central leaders of the party, Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to issue directives regarding these independents before the final day of nomination withdrawal on 17 December.
 
The issue has already sparked tension between supporters of the independents and the official candidates of the party in the respective constituencies ahead of the election.
 
For instance, in Barisal-5, the Awami League's official candidate, running with the boat symbol, is the current State Minister for Water Resources Colonel (Retired) Zahid Faruk Shamim.
 
Meanwhile, the district returning officer has approved Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah, former mayor of the Barishal City Corporation and current general secretary of the city Awami League, as an independent candidate for the same seat.
 
Sources say Zahid Faruk has requested the party's decision makers, including the prime minister, to exert pressure on Sadiq Abdullah to withdraw his nomination. However, Sadiq Abdullah remains steadfast in his decision to contest the election.
 
In the Faridpur-3 constituency, district Awami League President Shamim Haque is the official party candidate, while the independent candidate is former FBCCI president and district Awami League advisor AK Azad. Azad, an influential RMG businessman, also owns a private TV channel and a daily newspaper.
 
On Wednesday, at an event in Tangail, AL presidium member and Food Minister Abdur Razzak termed these independent candidates "rebels".
 
In preparation for the 12th national polls, the Awami League sold 3,362 party nominations and ultimately confirmed 304 candidates for 298 seats. Notably, 71 current party MPs did not make it to the final list.
 
Before the official announcement of party candidates, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the party president, convened a meeting with all nominees on 26 November, where she instructed that any party leader could participate in the election as a "dummy" candidate.
 
Following this directive, around 450 AL leaders sought nominations to run independently. Among them, around 250 candidates have been deemed eligible for the election by the district returning offices.
 
Abdur Rahman, member of the Awami League's presidium, told TBS that independent candidates and dummy candidates serve different purposes. Dummy candidates are not intended to secure victories but rather to prevent uncontested elections.
 
He emphasised that those who collected party nominations are strictly prohibited from running as independent candidates under any circumstances. Violating this rule will result in expulsion from the party.
 
Rahman added that the party president will issue instructions on this matter shortly.

Constituencies with heavyweight AL independents
 
The Awami League's nominated candidate for the Dhaka-19 constituency is the current MP Dr Enamur Rahman, while the independent candidate in this race is former MP Tauhid Jang Murad. 

In Rajshahi-4 (Bagmara) constituency, Principal Abul Kalam Azad is the party's nominated candidate, whereas Engineer Enamul Haq Ena MP will be contesting as an independent candidate.
 
Furthermore, two MPs who were denied party nominations in two other constituencies in Rajshahi are running as independent candidates.

Prominent independent candidates are also challenging official Awami League candidates in Panchagarh-1, Gaibandha-4, Naogaon-3, Naogaon-4, Meherpur-2, Jhenaidah-3, Jashore-4, Satkhira-2, Barisal-4, Tangail-5, Jamalpur-4, Mymensingh-3, Dhaka-5, Gazipur-3, Sunamganj-1, Sunamganj-2, Habiganj-1, Habiganj-2, Cumilla-8, Chattogram-12, Cox's Bazar-1, Faridpur-3. Additionally, former MP Sirajul Islam is an independent candidate in the Narsingdi-3 (Shibpur) constituency.
 
Furthermore, 26 upazila chairmen, deprived of party nominations, have been deemed eligible to run independently for the election.