A group of Narayanganj citizens has been active, since the announcement of Narayanganj 5 by-election schedule, to field a candidate to fight against any candidate from the influential Osman family – just like the 2011 city corporation election.
The group will focus on major local issues such as the sensational Twoki murder, abductions and killings, rampant extortion, land grabbing with which, leaders of the group said, the Osman family has largely been involved.
The Narayanganj 5 constituency fell vacant following the death of Nasim Osman, who was a leader of HM Ershad’s Jatiya Party and elder brother of Awami League MP Shamim Osman. The Election Commission has fixed June 26 for the by-poll.
People across the port city speculate that someone from the Osman family will naturally contest the poll “to continue their supremacy” in the constituency comprising Bandar upazila and one-third area of the city.
A number of commoners and socio-political activists in Narayanganj yesterday shared their thoughts with these correspondents, saying they heard someone from the late Nasim Osman’s family, possibly his wife Parvin Osman, would be nominated either the Awami League or JaPa in the by-election.
When asked about the rumours, Shamim Osman told the Dhaka Tribune over phone: “Our family decision is: No,” meaning none from the Osman family will contest the by-election.
“We will tell [Prime Minister and Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina] that politics in Narayanganj has become polluted – none from our family is interested to be a candidate in this situation,” Shamim said. “But our leader [Hasina] will make the final decision in this regard and we will accept her decision.”
Asked who could be the candidate if Hasina asked for one from the Osman family, Shamim said: “There is a huge pressure on my sister-in-law [Parvin] from the Jatiya Party and the Awami League in Narayanganj. There is also similar pressure from the Awami League on my brother Selim Osman.
“Selim is a businessman and he has popularity within the business community; many people want him, but Selim does not want to come to politics…We are fed up with dirty, polluted politics.”
Shamim said: “I often think of quitting politics.” He added that his brother Nasim had been an MP for four times and had got enough respect from people, which was reflected by the huge gathering of people in his Janaza.
Many residents, however, said it was too early to make any remarks on what might really happen considering the fact that finalising candidates usually involved a lot of drama.
The residents of Narayanganj witnessed a big drama in their first city corporation election. When present Mayor Selina Hayat Ivy announced her candidature against Awami League-backed candidate Shamim Osman the party face a big dilemma.
Sheikh Hasina sat with Shamim and Ivy to forge a compromise, but Ivy was firm in her decision.
The Awami League gave official support to Shamim, but the Narayanganj Nagarik Parishad (citizens’ council) headed by the then top leader of the district Awami League SM Akram campaigned for Ivy, who ultimately won against Shamim.
Plans for a similar move were seen yesterday in Narayanganj as a person went to the returning officer’s office to collect documents for Rafiur Rabbi, father of Tanvir Muhammad Twoki, the 17-year-old college student who was killed after abduction last year.
Rabbi, was secretary of the citizens’ council that campaigned for Ivy, will file nomination paper for the by polls.
When police failed to make any progress in the investigation into Twoki murder, RAB was assigned and it reportedly revealed involvement of Nasim Osman’s son Azmeri and use of his torture cell to kill the boy after abduction. This annoyed the Osman family.
Sultan Shawkat alias Bhromor, an accused in Twoki murder case, had reportedly confessed to a Narayanganj court in November last year,
revealing the whole incident and Azmeri’s direct involvement in the murder. Bhromor’s said he had witnessed the incident as he was in Azmeri’s office at that time.
A huge protest sparked in the district and a forum named Twoki Mancha was formed to continue the movement against crimes and corruption.
Joint Secretary of Twoki Mancha Jahirul Islam Jahir, who is also a leader of the citizens’ council, told the Dhaka Tribune: “They have a plan to field a candidate in the by-election on behalf of the citizens’ group.”
“We are not considering it as an election, we will field our candidate as part of our movement against crimes and the godfathers in Narayanganj,” Jahir said. “People of Narayanganj blame the Osman family for these problems, so our election will be a movement against this family’s candidate.”
He said focus on murder of Twoki, abductions and killings including the recent ones, extortion, land grabbing and other major crimes will be used against the candidate from the Osman family.
Jahir said they are considering former Awami League MP SM Akram or Twoki’s father Rafiur Rabbi as their candidate.
Akram and Rabbi both told the Dhaka tribune they would file nomination papers as independent candidate for the by-poll.
Rabbi said: “I want to contest in the election as part of our longstanding movement against the evil force in Narayanganj.”
Akram said: “I have heard that the Awami League and Jatiya Party are pondering to bring someone in parliament from the Osman family by nominating anyone from this family in the by-election. “I will contest as an independent candidate,” Akram said. “We want to bring the Narayanganj politics out of the vicious circle of this family.”
He believes although Rabbi will file nomination paper, they will reach a consensus about fielding one candidate on behalf of the citizens’ group.
Narayanganj city Awami League President Anwar Hossain, who went to the returning officer’s office yesterday, said he wanted to contest from the Awami League and he was confident that the party would nominate him.
Anwar said: “People of Narayanganj is scared of abduction and killing, decline in law and order, and miss management of the earlier administration.
“My election will be against those who are making Narayanganj a frightening city.”
Asked who were making the city scary, he said: “You all know about them.”
Asked if he had blessings from the Osman family, he said: “I do not want blessings of any family, I want blessings of the people.”
Source: Dhaka Tribune
