During the tenure of current Awami League government, Cox's Bazar, known as the tourist capital, has seen a wave of development. A total of 98 small and big development projects are being implemented in Cox's Bazar district at a cost of about 3.5 lakh crores.
The projects included 23 projects promised by the Prime Minister. Due to the implementation of these projects, Awami League nominated candidates in 4 parliamentary constituencies of Cox's Bazar are ahead in terms of victory as well as advantages in the campaign, the general voters said.
People of various classes commented that the members of parliament (MPs) of 4 constituencies are getting the response from the general voters because of the implementation of the development projects promised by the Prime Minister rather than their personal image.
According to the information received, there are 26 candidates including parties and independents in the 4 parliamentary constituencies of Cox's Bazar in the upcoming 12th National Assembly elections on January 7.
Among them 7 candidates in Cox's Bazar-1 (Chakaria-Pekua) parliamentary seat, 6 candidates in Cox's Bazar-2 (Maheshkhali-Qutubdia) parliamentary seat, 6 candidates in Cox's Bazar-3 (Cox's Bazar Sadar-Ramu-Idgaon) parliamentary seat and 7 candidates are in Cox's Bazar-4 (Ukhia- Teknaf) parliamentary seat.
In 4 parliamentary constituencies of Cox's Bazar, festival-oriented campaign is going on. The rival candidates have been campaigning in their respective constituencies since the allocation of symbols. In the 4 parliamentary constituencies of Cox's Bazar, 26 candidates have entered the field with their respective symbols. Candidates are campaigning daily from 2 pm to 8 pm. Discussions are also going on among the people about the election. Candidates go to markets and stations to exchange kushals with voters, besides processions, road meetings and public meetings are going on.
It is reported that he went on the ground and talked to the general voters in different areas of the 4 constituencies of the district, Railway line from Dohazari to Cox's Bazar, Iconic Railway Station, Matarbari Coal Based Thermal Power Plant, Matarbari Deep Sea Port, Cox's Bazar International Airport, Ramur BKSP Training Centre, Ramur Pechardwipe National. Marine Research Institute, Sheikh Kamal International Cricket Stadium at Sagartire, Longest Marine Drive Road, SPM Project at Maheshkhali, Cox's Bazar Medical College, Connection of Qutubdia Island to National Grid through Submarine Cable, Ukhiya Waste to Power Plant, Road Bypass Construction of Tourist City, Exclusive Tourist Zone at Teknaf, Khurushkul bridge built on Bankkhali river, expansion and improvement of Chakaria Municipal Bus Terminal, construction of 139 buildings under the Prime Minister's Special Shelter Project for 4 thousand 409 displaced families of Khurushkul, wind power project in Khurushkul, construction of buildings in various educational institutions, construction of roads and bridges within the district, Gorakghata in Maheshkhali.
There is no doubt that there is a positive impact on the 12th National Assembly elections on January 7 due to extensive development including the Jantabazar Road of Shaplapur. The common people of Cox's Bazar will be in favor of taking the Awami League government to power again by voting by boat, informed voters and experts said.
The 7 candidates contesting from Cox's Bazar-1 (Chakaria-Pekua) parliamentary seat are, Awami League supported candidate Bangladesh Kalyan Party President Syed Mohammad Ibrahim (watch), current Member of Parliament independent candidate Zafar Alam (truck), Jatiya Party's Hosne Ara (plough), Workers Party's Abu Mohammad Bashirul Alam (hammer), Islami Front's Mohammad Belal Uddin (candle), independent candidate Tanveer Ahmed Siddiqui Tuhin (eagle) and Kamruddin Arman (banana stick). There is no candidate nominated by Awami League in this seat. The current Member of Parliament Zafar Alam did not get party nomination this time. Salauddin Ahmed was nominated by Awami League from this seat, but his candidature was canceled due to loan default.
The 6 candidates contesting from Cox's Bazar-2 (Maheshkhali-Qutubdia) parliamentary seat are Awami League nominated current Member of Parliament Ashek Ullah Rafiq (Boat), BNM's Sharif Badshah (Anchor), Islami Oikya Jot's Mohammad Yunus (Minar), Islamic Front Bangladesh's Mohammad Ziaur Rahman (Chair), Bangladesh Supreme Party BSP Mohammad Khairul Amin (Ektar), NPP Mahbubul Alam (Mango).
In this seat, it is believed that there will be a main competition between Ashek Ullah Rafiq of the boat symbol and Sharif Badshah of the anchor symbol. Awami League leader Sharif Badsha voluntarily resigned from the post of Maheshkhali Upazila Chairman seeking Awami League nomination. He is running on BNM's anchor symbol without being nominated. General voters said that Ashek Ullah Rafiq of 2-time MP boat symbol is ahead in the election race.
The 6 candidates contesting from Cox's Bazar-3 (Sadar, Ramu and Eidgaon) parliamentary seat are Awami League nominated current Member of Parliament Saimum Sarwar Kamal (Boat), Independent candidate Barrister Mizan Saeed (Eagle), Jatiya Party Advocate Mohammad Tarek (Plough), Bangladesh Kalyan Party Secretary General Abdul Awal Mamun (watch), National Awami Party Shamim Ahsan Bhulu (hut), Bangladesh Nationalist Front Mohammad Ibrahim (Television).
In this seat, Saimum Sarwar Kamal of the boat symbol is expected to compete with the independent candidate of the eagle symbol, Barrister Mizan Sayeed, the leader of the Awami Lawyers Parishad. Barrister Mizan Saeed became an independent candidate without getting the Awami League nomination. Mizan Saeed is a new candidate and not well known politically and personally. All in all, Saimum Sarwar Kamal of the 2-time MP boat symbol is leading in the election race, according to the general voters.
The 7 candidates contesting from Cox's Bazar-4 (Ukhia-Teknaf) parliamentary seat are Awami League nominated candidate Shaheen Akhtar (Boat), Independent candidate Teknaf Upazila Awami League President Nurul Bashar (Eagle), Jatiya Party's Nurul Amin Bhutto (Plough) , National People's Party's Faridul Alam (AM), Trinamul BNP's Mujibul Haque Mujeeb (Sonali Ansh), Islami Oikyajot's Mohammad Osman Gani Chowdhury (Minar), Bangladesh Congress's Mohammad Ismail (Dub).
In this seat, Shaheen Akhtar of boat symbol is expected to compete with independent candidate of Teknaf Upazila Awami League President Nurul Bashar of eagle symbol. Current MP Noaka Pratik Shaheen Akhtar is the wife of former 2-time Member of Parliament and much-talked-about critic Abdur Rahman Badi. However, Abdur Rahman Badi is popular among the general voters of Ukhia-Teknaf. Shaheen Akhtar is also the daughter of a prominent political family of Ukhiya. General voters said that Shaheen Akhtar of boat symbol is ahead in the election race. Cox's Bazar District Awami League President Advocate Faridul Islam Chowdhury said, eleven months after the inauguration of 29 projects on December 7, 2022, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated 15 projects and laid the foundation stone of 4 projects in Cox's Bazar on November 11, 2023 at a cost of about Tk 88 thousand crores.