Manjur Morshed Tuhin, Patuakhali

General voters of Mirzaganj upazila in Patuakhali have been waiting to go to the polling station on May 29 to vote.

4 days ago Cyclone Remal's rampage made everyone's mind stunned. According to the notification of the Election Commission, the election day was announced on June 9 instead of May 29. But the candidates and the general voters are all in both crisis. Many of the poor in the village are tired of having their houses or trees broken. Similarly, the candidates are also financially penalized to give a little benefit to the post-cyclone general electorate.

Looking around the constituency, 3 candidates are contesting for the post of Chairman in the Mirzaganj Upazila Parishad elections. Khan Md. Abu Bakr Siddique with "Cup Piritch" symbol and Md. Zahirul Islam Jewel "Horse" symbol are involved in 2 Awami style politics. On the other hand, Alhaj Md. Ashraf Ali Hawladar was on the post of upazila BNP with "Pineapple" symbol, but he was expelled from the party after becoming a candidate.

Chhatra League devoted and committed Awami League activist Khan Mohammad Abu Bakkar Siddique has been representing the Upazila Parishad for 15 consecutive years. 1st time Upazila Vice Chairman, 2nd time and currently Upazila Parishad Chairman. Despite being an active Awami League, the chairman has been elected every time as a rebel candidate with wide popularity. To the voters, he is a peace-loving and calm-tempered chairman. Geographically, Mirzaganj is the center of the neighboring district and upazila, so the government has taken advantage of the opportunity for extensive development.

The current vice chairman of the council, Md. Zahirul Islam, is contesting for the chairmanship with the jewel horse symbol. It is said in the area that he entered politics by holding the hand of Chairman Abu Bakr Siddique. He was elected as the Vice Chairman with the help and support of the voters. In an expression of unknown anger, Jewel became a candidate for the chairman by competing with him.

One-time Brunei expatriate and upazila BNP member Md Ashraf Ali Hawladar has become the chairman candidate with the pineapple symbol. Although he was expelled for ignoring the party decision, he claims to be a member of BNP. Financially well-off Ashraf Howladar claims to be a social worker and often cooperates with various religious and educational institutions. Claiming himself as a worker of BNP without caring about party divisions, he claimed that he would be elected chairman only by the votes of BNP.

Although three chairman candidates are active in the polling field of Mirzaganj, Khan Md. Abu Bakr Siddique's party has a class of voters in every union who are blindly loyal to him. Majority of these voters are middle aged to seniors. His supporters demand that everyone is quiet now to avoid chaos but on polling day everyone will vote for their preferred candidate.

A section of youth is active with Md. Zahirul Islam Jewel. These voters are his life. He wants to change the main slogan of his supported candidates. Common voters think that because of Jewel's emergence as chairman, the Mirzaganj Awami League supported voters have been divided.

On the other hand, Md. Ashraf Ali Hawladar wants to exploit this opportunity by using the party image of BNP. However, the hardline BNP think that Ashraf Hawladar has gone astray.