8 incumbents suffer rout

Eight incumbent district administrators, all leaders of the ruling Awami League, suffered defeats in district council polls yesterday.

Of them, six were defeated by party rebels while the two others lost to Jatiya Party and independent candidates.

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AL insiders said the former administrators lost the polls as they got involved in various irregularities and were not in contact with electorates.

“The former administrator did not have contact with the electorates. I made a pledge that I would be in touch with the electorates and would not allow any irregularities to occur which helped me win the polls,” AL rebel Mohammad Ali Sarkar from Rajshahi told The Daily Star. 

In 2011, the then AL government had appointed administrators, mostly party leaders, to district councils. This year, many district administrators resigned from office after winning support from the party.

In Sunamganj, incumbent district administrator and AL favourite Enamul Kabir Emon was defeated by party rebel Nurul Huda Mukut by 380 votes.

AL dissident Shafiqul Alam of Brahmanbaria won the polls against party-backed Emdadul Bari by 51 votes.

In Rajshahi, AL rebel Mohammad Ali Sarkar beat former district administrator Mahbub Zaman Bhulu by 325 votes.

The AL's favourite in Meherpur, Kazi Miajan, lost to fellow party leader Golam Rasul by 23 votes while AL rebel Nazrul Islam won the elections in Satkhira against former administrator Monsur Ahmed by 475 votes.

In Panchagarh, AL rebel Amanullah Bachchu defeated ex-district administrator Abu Bakar Siddique by 13 votes.

Momtazul Huq, the AL-backed candidate in Nilphamari, was defeated by independent candidate Joynal Abedin while the ruling party's favourite Syed Shamsul Alam Hero lost the polls in Gaibandha to Jatiya Party leader Ataur Rahman by 18 votes.

Apart from the eight candidates, AL-blessed district administrator hopefuls also lost to party dissidents in Pirojpur, Jamalpur, Sherpur, Narail and Chuadanga.

Many family members of AL leaders, ministers and lawmakers took part in yesterday's elections.

Land Minister Shamsur Rahman Sharif's daughter Mahzabin Shirin Piya and Health Minister Mohammed Nasim's brother-in-law Mohammad Sayedul Huq contested for chairman of Pabna District Council ignoring the party's decision. However, none of them could win the polls.

Prithi Haider, wife of State Minister for Water Resources Mahbubur Rahman, contested for women (reserved) councillor while State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Narayan Chandra Chanda's son Abhijit Chandra and AL lawmaker from Khulna Mustafa Rashidi Suja's son Khalidin Rashidi Sukorno ran for councillor posts. All the three became victorious.