For the upcoming 12th National Parliament elections, the position of ruling Awami League in Narayanganj-2 (Araihajar) seat is very strong as in the past three consecutive times.
Although the BNP candidate won twice after 1991, the political scenario in this constituency has changed after 2008.
Since former general secretary of Bangladesh Chhatra League, Nazrul Islam Babu was given the AL ticket and elected a Member of Parliament in Narayanganj-2, this seat has been known as the base of the Awami League.
In this circumstance, Awami League wants to retain the seat in the 12th Parliamentary elections while BNP wants to restore it and Jatiya Party, take a chance.
Even though the BNP centrally is speaking something different about the next election, local leaders, activists and their supporters are serious about the participation in the election. Therefore, an election wind is blowing among the local people like the people of ruling Awami League and Jatiya Party.
Those who are willing to get nomination from different parties, all of them are now seriously active to strengthen their own candidatures. They are participating in various party activities.
Talking to the local people and political leaders, it was known that all the main three parties--Awami League, BNP and Jatiya Party--have several candidates for Narayanganj-2 seat.
According to election office sources, Narayanganj-2 constituency consists of two municipalities --Araihajar and Gopaldi--and 10 unions under Araihajar upazila. The total number of voters in this constituency is 2,98,923.
In 1991, BNP candidate Ataur Rahman Khan Angur was elected as the MP in this seat. In the election of 1996, Awami League candidate Emdadul Haque Bhuiyan was elected. In the 2001 elections, BNP candidate Ataur Rahman Khan Angur was elected again.
But the scenario changed in 2008, when Nazrul Islam Babu, a former general secretary of the Central Committee of the Chhatra League, was given the ticket from the Awami League. He was elected as the MP for three consecutive times-- in 2008, 2014 and 2018.
This former Chhatra League leader is now the president of Araihajar Upazila Awami League. Local people believe that he will be given nomination again.
Apart from Awami League, old and new potential candidates of BNP and Jatiya Party are also busy lobbying hard to get nomination in this seat.
Alongside present MP Nazrul Islam Babu, former ambassador to Brunei Momtaz Hossain, who is also a former relief and social welfare secretary of the Awami League's central committee, and Narayanganj district Awami League leader Advocate Iqbal Parvez, who is also a former information and communication secretary of the central committee of Jubo League are among the Awami League candidates.
In addition, Habibur Rahman Molla, a former leader of the central committee of the Krishak League, and Shah Jalal Mia, a former president of Araihajar Upazila Awami League and also a former chairman of Araihajar Upazila Parishad may also seek nomination from the Awami League.
The supporters of existing MP Nazrul Islam Babu claim that there is no alternative to Babu in this seat. They said that Nazrul Islam Babu attends various meetings, political, social and religious events almost every day in his constituency Araihazaar and interacts with leaders and activists.
On the other hand, names of at least three people are being discussed as the MP candidates from the BNP. They are former Member of Parliament Ataur Rahman Khan Angur, BNP Central Committee Assistant-International Affairs Secretary Nazrul Islam Azad and former Juba Dal leader Mahmudur Rahman Sumon, who is a son of BNP Central Committee's former Religious Affairs Secretary and Upazila BNP President late AM Badruzzaman Khan Khasru.
All these potential BNP candidates are participating in various party activities because they want to participate in the next parliamentary elections. They are trying to reach the leaders and workers and common people through various programmes, including meetings and processions.
Moreover, Jatiya Party central committee presidium member Alamgir Sikder Lotan is said to be on top of the list of the candidates for nomination from his party. Local Jatiya Party leaders said that he is maintaining contact with the activists.
However, it is heard that Advocate Abdul Hannan, president of Araihazar Upazila Jatiya Party, may also seek nomination for this seat from Jatiya Party.