Election campaigns gathered momentum in the Rangpur district.
Leaders of different levels of ruling Awami League (AL) and Jatiya Party (JP) are contesting independently against the candidates nominated by their parties, besides candidates of other parties.
After withdrawals 36 candidates are in the race for six seats in the district.
In most of the constituencies, independent candidates are challenging the nominees of their respective parties.
Party workers at the grassroots are showing their strength at rallies.
The upshot is, nominees of parties labeled as outsiders and heavyweights have been cornered.
Political analysts and senior citizens in the district said, ruling AL has established its hold in four out of six constituencies in Rangpur district ousting JP.
AL nominees withdrew from Rangpur-1 and Rangpur-3 at the last moment, in favour of JP nominees. But, ALs independent candidates are contesting taking the advantage of flexibility in their parties.
In Rangpur-1 (Ward No.-1 to 8 in Rangpur City and Gangachra), Rezaul Karim Raju is ALs nominee.
Former upazila chairman and former general secretary of district AL unit Asaduzzaman Bablu and UK Awami League leader Barrister Manjum Ali are contesting independently against him.
ALs Raju, withdrew in favour of JP nominee Hossain Maqbul Shahriar Asif.
But sitting MP and expelled former JP Secretary General Mosiur Rahman Ranga is in race as independent candidate.
In Rangpur-2 (Badarganj-Taraganj), sitting MP Abul Kalam got Als nomination.
Central Krishak League leader Biswanath Sarkar Bitu, also former chairman of Badarganj Upazila, is contesting as an independent candidate against him. JP nominated its former MP Anisul Haque Mandol in this seat.
In Rangpur-3 (Rest of the City area and Sadar upazila), former General Secretary of the city Awami League Tushar Kanti Mall is ALs nominee.
However, Tushar Kanti had to withdraw.
JP Chairman GM Quader will fight for the seat.
Sitting MP Rahgir Almahi Saad Ershad will not contest as he was not nominated this year due to conflict with his uncle GM Quader.
Bangladesh Supreme Partys Abdur Rahman Reju, Bangladesh Congresss Ekramul Haque and JSDs Shahidul Islam and NPPs Shafiul Alam are also vying for the seat.
Transgender Samity leader Anwara Islam Rani is working to get elected to parliament as independent candidate.
AL has nominated its finance and planning secretary, freedom fighter and incumbent commerce minister Tipu Munshi, to retain Rangpur-4 (Kaunia and Peergacha), for the fourth time in a row.
JP nominee Mustafa Salim Bengal is in the race to get elected from this seat.
He nominated his son Rashek Rahman to Awami League in place of five-time MP HN Ashiqur Rahman in Rangpur-5 (Mithapukur).
However, upazila AL general secretary and former upazila chairman Zakir Hossain is in the race as an independent candidate against him.
Anishur Rahman of JP, Abdul Baten of BNF, Mahbubur Rahman of Bangladesh Congress, Abdul Halim Mondal of Farmer-Shramik Janata League, Enamul Haque of Islamic Front Bangladesh, Abdul Wadud Mia of Supreme Party of Bangladesh are also contesting for the seat.
Although Rangpur-6 (Pirganj) constituency has been under the control of JP in last two consecutive terms, AL president Sheikh Hasina won the seat in the ninth general.
Later, Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury was elected from this seat and she is the Al candidate in this seat this time also.
However, Prime Ministers Shikh Hasinas niece son-in-law and AL district convening committee member industrialist Sirajul Islam became an independent candidate in this seat.
Apart from this, JP candidate Noor Alam Jadu Mia, National Peoples Partys Humayun Ijaz, Bangladesh Welfare Partys Zakaria Hossain are also contesting for the seat.
In the past, Shah Moazzem Hossain of Munshiganj, Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury of Chandpur was elected from Rangpur.
But for the outsiders, the situation is completely different this time.
Sadrul Alam Dulu, former president of Rangpur district of Conscious Citizens Committee (SANAK), said that the trend will create a leadership crisis at the local level in future and distort local politics.
He said voters are not paying much attention to the decisions of political parties.
He said that the visible scenario shows that the nominees of major parties are likely to face challenges.
Begum Rokeya University Bangla department teacher, researcher and writer. Tuhin Wadud said, those who have no ties with the soil will not understand the needs of the people. They cannot be expected to remove disparity.
