Election heat rises in Cox's Bazar as BNP finalises 3 candidates; one still undecided
BNP has yet to announce its candidate for Cox's Bazar-2 (Maheshkhali-Kutubdia), which Mirza Fakhrul said would be declared later
As anticipation mounts ahead of the upcoming national election, political tension and excitement are running high across Cox's Bazar. Among the district's four parliamentary constituencies, the BNP has announced candidates for three, setting the stage for a charged electoral showdown.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, at a press briefing, revealed that the party's standing committee member and former state minister Salahuddin Ahmed will contest from Cox's Bazar-1 (Chakaria-Pekua); central committee's Fisheries Affairs Secretary and former lawmaker Lutfur Rahman Kajol will run from Cox's Bazar-3 (Sadar-Ramu-Eidgaon); and former whip and district BNP President Shahjahan Chowdhury will represent Cox's Bazar-4 (Ukhiya-Teknaf).
The BNP has yet to announce its candidate for Cox's Bazar-2 (Maheshkhali-Kutubdia), which Mirza Fakhrul said would be declared later.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Among the announced BNP nominees, Kajol has served one term as MP, while the other two have each been elected three times from their respective constituencies.
Adding to the electoral heat, Jamaat-e-Islami has already declared its own candidates across all four constituencies: Abdullah Al Faruk (Cox's Bazar-1), AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad (Cox's Bazar-2), Shahidul Islam Bahadur (Cox's Bazar-3), and Nur Ahmed Anwari (Cox's Bazar-4).
Except for Hamidur Rahman Azad, the three Jamaat nominees are newcomers to the parliamentary arena, sparking fresh debates over how these first-time contenders will fare against BNP's seasoned heavyweights.
Cox's Bazar-1: veteran Salahuddin faces Jamaat's newcomer Abdullah Al Faruk
Cox's Bazar-1 (Chakaria-Pekua), designated as the 294th parliamentary seat, has long been a BNP stronghold. Salahuddin Ahmed, the party's permanent committee member and former state minister, has represented the seat three times, while his wife, Hasina Ahmed, also once held it, making a total of four BNP victories.
According to Election Commission data, Hasina Ahmed won the 2008 election, defeating Awami League's Salah Uddin Ahmed CIP with 156,512 votes against 121,111.
Salahuddin Ahmed himself won the 2001 race with 134,602 votes, while the Awami League candidate secured 74,297. Earlier, he triumphed in 1996 with 72,594 votes, beating the same opponent who received 50,829.
Before BNP's dominance, Jamaat's Enamul Haque Monju had captured the seat in 1991, polling 37,893 votes against Awami League's Zahirul Islam, who received 32,849.
This year, Salahuddin Ahmed faces a new challenger, Abdullah Al Faruk, the current Ameer of Cox's Bazar city Jamaat and a former senior leader of Islami Chhatra Shibir. For Faruk, this will be his first-ever parliamentary race.
Political analysts say the contest will be a battle between the BNP's experience and the Jamaat's youthful energy. Jamaat, meanwhile, has been actively reorganising in the constituency since early August, signalling its determination to reclaim old ground.
Cox's Bazar-3: a cordial yet competitive battle between Kajol and Bahadur
Cox's Bazar-3 (Sadar-Ramu-Eidgaon), the 296th seat, also carries a rich political history. In 2008, BNP's Lutfur Rahman Kajol defeated Awami League's Saimum Sarwar Kamal, securing 126,478 votes to Kamal's 86,536, while independent BNP rebel Mohammad Shahiduzzaman garnered 63,068.
Earlier, in 2001, BNP's Shahiduzzaman had won the seat with 113,895 votes, crushing Awami League's Mostak Ahmad Chowdhury, who received only 8,312. BNP also held the seat in 1996, when its candidate Mohammad Khalekuzzaman secured 69,119 votes to defeat the same opponent's 41,405.
The seat had been with the Awami League once before, in 1991, when Mostak Ahmad Chowdhury narrowly beat Khalekuzzaman.
With BNP winning four of the last five elections, Kajol remains a formidable contender. Facing him this time is Jamaat's Shahidul Islam Bahadur, a former vice-chairman of Cox's Bazar Sadar Upazila Parishad and once an active Shibir leader. While new to parliamentary elections, Bahadur has local administrative experience.
In a refreshing show of political civility, Bahadur congratulated Kajol immediately after his nomination was announced — and Kajol reciprocated, wishing him success and emphasising hopes for a peaceful, fair contest.
Cox's Bazar-4: BNP's Shahjahan vs Jamaat's Anwari in a battle of influence
Cox's Bazar-4 (Ukhiya-Teknaf), designated 297th, was created in 1986 from the former Chattogram-18 constituency. BNP's Shahjahan Chowdhury, a former whip, district BNP president, and three-time MP, is once again entering the ring.
In the 2008 election, Shahjahan lost to Awami League's Abdur Rahman Bodi, polling 79,310 votes to Bodi's 103,626. Earlier, he had won a previous race against Mohammad Ali with 89,747 votes to 48,735. In 1996, Ali had defeated him with 44,706 votes to 30,594, while Shahjahan reclaimed the seat in 1991 with 36,872 votes, narrowly defeating Ali's 33,176.
This year, Shahjahan faces Nur Ahmed Anwari, Jamaat's district chief and four-time elected chairman of Whykong Union in Teknaf. For Anwari, this is his first bid for Parliament, though he is well-known in grassroots politics. Both leaders share a cordial relationship, which adds an
intriguing dynamic to the race, as observers await to see how personal respect balances political rivalry.
Cox's Bazar-2: Who will BNP field against Jamaat's veteran Hamidur Rahman Azad?
The 295th parliamentary seat, Cox's Bazar-2 (Kutubdia-Maheshkhali), remains the only constituency where the BNP has yet to name its candidate. The suspense is palpable.
Here, Jamaat's AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad, a central leader and former MP, has been renominated. In 2008, Azad won the seat with 104,271 votes, defeating Awami League's Ansarul Karim, who received 86,944.
In earlier years, BNP had held the seat: Alamgir Mohammad Mahfuzullah Farid won in 2001 with 103,503 votes, defeating Awami League's Faridul Islam Chowdhury (49,190 votes), and had also triumphed in 1996 with 44,445 votes against Sirajul Islam (32,443).
In 1991, the seat went to Baksal's Mohammad Ishaq, who polled 25,727 to narrowly edge out Jamaat's Shafi Ullah (23,345).
Now, with Jamaat fielding its seasoned campaigner Azad, speculation abounds over who BNP will nominate. Party insiders hint at possible contenders: Alamgir Mohammad Mahfuzullah Farid, former MP Nurul Bashar Chowdhury, or even Hasina Ahmed, wife of Salahuddin Ahmed.
Whether BNP keeps the seat or leaves it to an ally under a coalition deal remains the biggest question.
