Many have blamed the defeat of Awami League in maiden Gazipur City Corporation elections to national issues, but locals attributed the debacle to the inner-party feud.
BNP-backed MA Mannan defeated Awami League-supported Azmat Ullah Khan by a margin of more than 100,000 votes in the Saturday’s elections.
In the recent years Awami League had dominated local and parliamentary elections in Gazipur, turning the constituency into its stronghold.
Naturally, the defeat of the party-backed candidate in the just concluded Gazipur civic poll has rocked the AL boat — quite literally.
Initial investigation reveals organisational ‘weaknesses’ and poor propoganda were the two main factors behind the defeat.
With a jurisdiction of 330 square kilometres Gazipur City Corporation, which comprises areas of Tongi and Gazipur municipalities and six Unions, is one of the country’s largest city corporations.
It was established in January this year.
The two current Members of Parliament (MPs) from the area are Awami League’s Jahid Ahsan Rasel (son of the late Sramik League Ahsan Ullah Master) and AKM Mozammel Hoque.
Since 1995, Azmat was the Tongi municipality Chairman and AKM Mozammel Hoque was the Gazipur municipality Chairman. They are both Awami League leaders.
But in this election, Azmat barely managed to take a lead at 33 of the 133 centres in his own Tongi area.
In Gacha Union, he trailed in 41 of 46 centres, in Pubail in 10 out of 21, in Kashimpur in 38 out of 40, in Konabari in all of the 35 and in Gazipur municipality he just forged ahead in only 7 out of the 48 centres.
Infighting has plagued the party since the start of the electioneering with a former Bangladesh Chhatra League leader and former Gazipur municipality Mayor Jahangir Alam filing his nominations as a Mayor candidate against the party’s official choice.
Though he later pulled out of the race following intervention of the Awami League’s high command, the withdrawal was late and his name remained on the ballots.
Moreover, his late withdrawal did not help iron out the doubts and rifts within the party.
Though Jahangir campaigned for Azmat, Gazipur doubted the sincerity of his effort, as he kept complaining that the high command did not make the right choice.
District Awami League Organisational Secretary Sirajul Islam even went to the extent of claiming that MP Rasel and Jahangir had ‘directed’ their supporters to vote for the opposition-backed candidate.
“Their supporters voted for Mannan in all the areas. Otherwise, Azmat Bhai would have won by over at least 100,000 votes,” he alleged.
Much like defeated Barisal Mayor Hiran blaming Hasnat Abdullah for his defeat a month ago.
Gazipur municipality Awami League President and district committee member Wazuddin Mia too blamed the organisational weaknesses for the loss. “If Awami League’s house was in order this would not have happened.”
“The fiasco started with the selection of candidate. At the end when we decided on the candidate and began campaigning, but it was too late. We hardly had seven or eight days. So we could never sit down with our grassroots workers and activists, or any of the local units.”
“Even the five MPs from the area did not sit together.”
Since Gazipur had a large number of ready-made garment workers as voters, Wazuddin Mia thought it would be wise to work separately with factory owners and workers.
He also thought it would be better to have talks with religious leaders to properly rebut the Hifazat allegations which BNP were capitalising on.
Many local activists, who were supposed to work for Azmat, said they themselves were busy with their candidacy at the Councillor elections.
Azmat’s long reign in Tongi municipality, many believe, is another factor for his defeat, particularly in Tongi area.
Besides, distance between public representatives and local activists were also a factor, according to many.
“Anti-incumbency tends to creep in when someone is in power for a long time,” Wazuddin said. “In Tongi, this is what happened. Many did not campaign for him. On the other hand, Azmat Ullah also formed a coterie of what he called ‘my men’ and thus created a gap with the supporters of both the MPs.”
“He (Azmat) himself could not also campaign much.”
Rasel however strongly refuted allegations of betrayal against him. “Who said that my people did not vote for him? Azmat got fewer votes in areas of other MPs too, so why should I be singled out?”
Jahangir Alam, who is under Awami League’s scanner for his rebellion, said Azmat Ullah had lost because of his ‘detachment from the people’.
“He (Azmat) was the candidate, but he could not connect himself with the people there. One does not win people’s heart suddenly.”
Jahangir, who secured 4,000 votes despite withdrawing from the race, said he could have won the elections if party had backed him.
Regarding Azmat’s loss, he said: “Those who would have voted for me may not vote for him. If I work for Azmat that does not mean my supporters too will do the same – they are not my employees.”
Even the opposition camp admitted that rift within the Awami League had helped Mannan to secure the huge victory.
Mannan’s election committee Coordinator and BNP central Executive Committee member Hasan Uddin Sarkar hinted that the rift within Awami League had “taken wind out of its sails.”
“BNP was much more united, that is why Mannan won. The government’s corruption, failure, inflation too influenced the mandate. Moreover, Awami League leaders of the area were competing for personal gain.”
But BNP supporters and some local residents were quick to add that apart from local issues, the factors like Hifazat too led to the Awami League’s debacle.
Shahidul Islam, 50, from Kashimpur, said Hifazat-e Islam was the key to Azmat’s defeat. “The government aided atheists and tortured religious Muslims.”
However, Shahidul admitted that Azmat had a ‘cleaner’ image than his rival Mannan. “But, even then, Azmat lost because he was backed by Awami League.”
Nurul Islam, former head teacher of Rani Bilashmani high School, said the government has lost popularity for various reasons. “People are fed-up with Chhatra League, Juba League.”
“Then there are Rana Plaza, Padma bridge issues. And, Azmat could not work for the development of Tongi during his time.”
Businessman Mamun Mia was of the view that the feud within the party led to the defeat of Awami League in Gazipur. “Mannan, being from Gazipur Sadr could draw more votes. Then there’s the Hifazat issue.”
Gazipur Model Institute of Science and Technology BBA student Jannatul Ferdous cast her first vote in the maiden City Corporation elections of Gazipur. She said, “I could not cast my first vote for the attackers.”
“One of my cousins fell prey to the attack of Chhatra League. People feared that they might get a free run once Azmat was elected.”
But, according to another BBA student of the same institution, Syed Mahfuz Ahmed, the elections were not only contested on local politics.
“Azmat would have been the winner if he had competed only with Mannan. But the actual contest was between Awami League and BNP. Share market crash had an impact. More than 3 million people had been ruined. How could they vote for Awami League?”
Though Azmat told bdnews24.com that he accepted the verdict of the people, he did sound a little frustrated.
“Rumours were flying that BNP-Jamaat used black money. Religion was used. Despite all these, I am thankful that many people have voted for me.”
Regarding the betrayal of party-men Azmat said, “If someone had indulged in such activities his conscience would burn him.”
“If my defeat can unite the party, that will be my biggest solace.”
Source: Bd news24
