Chairpersons of three Islamist parties to battle for Chattogram-2 seat

The Chattogram-2 seat is set for a heavy competition in the upcoming Jatiya Sangsad polls with chairmen of three Islamist parties as contenders.

Tariqat Federation Chairman Syed Najibul Bashar Maizbhandari  (flowers garland), the Bangladesh Islami Front Chairman MA Matin, and the Bangladesh Supreme Party Chairman Syed Saifuddin Ahmed Maizbhandari have all bought tickets to contest for the seat.

All of them are hopeful about obtaining victory.

Encompassing 18 unions and 2 municipalities of Fatikchhari upazila, Chattogram-2 is famous for being the home of Syed Ahmad Ullah Maizbhandari, a Bengali Sufi saint and founder of the Maizbhandari Sufi order.

The Tariqat Federation chairman is the incumbent lawmaker for the seat. He emerged victorious in the 2018 election from there by defeating his nephew and Supreme Party Chairman Saifuddin Ahmed.

But Saifuddin is hopeful that this time he will turn the tables.

"I am the chairman of a party, he [Najibul] too is the chairman of a party. Why would I compromise for him? I will contest in the election for myself, he will do it for himself. I am hopeful that I will win if the election is held fairly," Saifuddin told The Business Standard (TBS).

In the last national polls, Saifuddin contested in the seat from the Bangladesh Islami Front with the symbol 'candle'. This time he will be cotesting with the symbol 'ektara', representing his own party.

Meanwhile, Islami Front Chairman MA Matin is confident that he will emerge as the winner in the seat.

"Even though there are 3-4 candidates, who are followers of the same ideology as ours, vying for the seat, I will get the support of the majority [voters]," he told TBS.

The favourite for the seat is still Tariqat Federation' Najibul. With the support of the Awami League, he contested from the seat with the symbol 'boat' in the last three JS polls and won each time.  

"Anyone can contest in the election. It is their right. About Tk4,000 crores worth of development work has been done in Fatikchari [during my tenure]. So the people will choose me again this time," he told the media recently.

There are over 4 lakh voters in the Chattogram-2 constituency. Historically, Awami League dominated the seat. In the last 11 JS polls,  the BNP won twice and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal has won once from there. In all other elections, AL candidates emerged victorious. 

Apart from the three Islamist party chairmen, AL nominated candidate Khadizatul Anwar and Jatiya Party's Mohammad Shafiul Azam Chowdhury is also vying for the seat.

In total, 13 candidates will run for the JS from Chattogram-2.