Kulaura (Moulvibazar) Correspondent

In the upcoming 12th National Assembly elections, the election campaign in Moulvibazar-2 (Kulaura) constituency has gained momentum.

As the days are progressing candidates are spending busy time in mass communication. Day and night they are going door to door of voters asking for votes. And the voters are also discussing the various demands of the area along with the pros and cons of their preferred candidates. Although a total of 8 candidates are contesting in this seat, the voters think that there is a possibility of the main fight between the boat, truck and golden fiber symbols. Candidates of these three symbols are present in the polling field.

The current MP of this constituency, Sultan Mansoor Ahmad, had earlier announced that he would not participate in the election if he did not get the boat symbol. As he was deprived of the boat, he did not participate in the election. Shafiul Alam Chowdhury Nadel, organizing secretary of the party's central committee, got the party's nomination for the first time after 15 years in this seat.

Trinamool BNP candidate has contested with former MP MM Shaheen (Sonali Ansh). Kulaura Upazila Awami League Senior Vice President Principal AKM Sofi Ahmad Salman (Truck) has resigned from the post of Upazila Parishad Chairman to contest this election. In 2019, he contested as a 'rebel' candidate in the Upazila Parishad election, defeating Awami League's boat candidate and won by a huge margin. Also, the former president of Upazila Awami League and former member of parliament, Bir Muktijoddha, is contesting as an independent candidate. Abdul Matin (scissors), Jatiya Party's Abdul Malik (plough), Bangladesh Islamic Front's Enamul Haque Mahtab (candle), Islami Oikyazot's Ashlam Hossain Rahmani (minar) and Alternative Dhara Bangladesh. Kamruzzaman Simu (Kula).

During the last three days, Kulaura municipality, Jantabazar of Kulaura Sadar Union, Brahmanbazar Union, Kadipur, Robirbazar of Prithimpasha Union, Tilagoon Union, Katarkona of Hajipur Union, Paikpara, Nashirganj Bazar of Sharifpur Union and Chatlapur Bagan area were seen on the ground. hanging Electoral office has been established somewhere. Candidates with their workers-supporters are going to the area and holding meetings in the yard making various promises of development and seeking votes. Activists-supporters of some candidates are distributing pamphlets in the shops of the market. Somewhere local people are sitting in a tea shop discussing about the candidates.

According to voters, Awami League candidate Shafiul Alam Chowdhury Nadel, Trinamool BNP candidate MM Shaheen and independent candidate AKM Safi Ahmad Salman have good party position and personal popularity. Hence, there is a possibility that the main battle between these three people will eventually take place in the polls.

It should be noted that there are 2 lakh 85 thousand 472 voters in 13 unions and 1 municipality in Kulaura constituency. Among them 1 lakh 46 thousand 635 male and 1 lakh 38 thousand 837 female voters. Total polling station 103.

Former BNP leader MM Shaheen was elected MP for the first time in the controversial election of the Sixth National Parliament held on February 15, 1996. Awami League's organizing secretary Sultan Mansoor was elected MP wearing the boat symbol of Awami League after defeating BNP's (grain of rice) candidate MM Shaheen and Jatiya Party's (plough) candidate Nawab Ali Abbas Khan in the seventh national parliamentary election held in June of the same year with the participation of all parties. Then in the 2001 Eighth National Parliament Election, BNP's independent candidate (football) MM Shaheen was elected as MP after defeating Awami League's party candidate Sultan Mansoor.

Nawab Ali Abbas Khan, candidate of Jatiya Party, became the MP for the third time after defeating independent candidate MM Shaheen who was deprived of nomination of BNP in 2008 Ninth National Assembly Elections. In the 2014 10th National Assembly elections without BNP, independent candidate Md. Abdul Matin, upazila chairman Bir Muktijoddha, defeated Jatiya Party candidate Muhibul Quader Chowdhury and was elected MP. In the 2018 elections, MM Shaheen was defeated by Sultan Mansoor, the former central leader of the Awami League and the Dhan candidate of the BNP-led Jatiya Oikya Front (Ganoforum) and joined the Mahazatiya Alternative Bangladesh, a member of the Grand Alliance, and competed with the boat symbol.

Independent candidate Safi Ahmad Salman was the chairman of Kadipur Union Parishad for 19 years, before that his elder brother Afam Mosaddiq Ahmad Noman was the chairman of Kadipur Union Parishad, currently his younger brother Zafar Ahmad Gilman is serving as the chairman of this union parishad. Safi Ahmad Salman said, I have been by the side of the people of Kulaura for a long time. My long cherished dream of building a bright Kulaura is to accelerate the development of the neglected, oppressed, disenfranchised people of this township. I was like a watchman next to the people of Kulaura in all disasters including the past corona epidemic, terrible floods. I have done various development works as much as possible during my tenure as Chairman of Upazila Parishad. If elected as a member of parliament, I will get the opportunity to work on a larger scale.

Awami League candidate Shafiul Alam Chowdhury Nadel said that the development that has taken place in many upazilas of the country has not taken place in Kulaura due to the absence of party MPs. If he is elected as MP, he will increase employment opportunities for unemployed youth, take strict measures to control drugs, in every union b.