B’Baria-5: AL compels its ind. candidates to withdraw for Sattar’s win

Election Commission

Jehangir Hussain  

AL’s independent candidates withdraw from Brahmanbaria-5 by-polls to ensure victory of Abdus Sattar, expelled by BNP.

Three Awami League (AL)’s independent candidates on Saturday withdrew their nomination papers from Brahmanbaria-2 by-election on orders from AL’s central leaders to ensure victory of BNP’s ousted leader Abdus Sattar Bhuiyan.

The three AL leaders who withdrew their nomination papers include, district General Secretary Al Mamun Sarkar,  Joint General Secretary  Mahbubul Bari Chowdhury, former district Joint General Secretary Md Moin Uddin, Shwadhinata Teacher’s Association General Secretary and AL leader Principal Shahjahan Alam.

Assistant Returning Officer and District Election Officer Zillur Rahman said, “The three candidates withdrew their candidature one day before the last day of withdrawal of nomination paper, January 15.

Now, he said, five candidates are in the race, including two-time Jatiya Party (JP) MP Ziaul Haque Mridha, JP’s central Joint Secretary General Abdul Hamid Bhasani, former Ashuganj upazila Parishad Chairman and former President of upazila BNP Abu Asif Ahmed and Zaker Party’s Zahirul Islam.

AL leaders said that AL’s independent candidates were asked to stand aside, to ensure Abdus Sattar Bhuiyan’s victory.

The AL candidates withdrew under pressure.

The by-election in Brahmanbaria-2 constituency will be held on February 1.

AL never won from Brahmanbaria after 1975.

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