PABNA — Nur-Mujahid Swapan, convenor of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s Bhanguara upazila unit, warned that no candidate running outside the BNP’s paddy sheaf symbol would be allowed to post polling agents at any center in Bhanguara.
“We are not outside the paddy sheaf. If anyone thinks of contesting the election outside the paddy sheaf, they will not be allowed to place agents at any center in Bhanguara,” Swapan said.
He issued the warning Saturday evening at a rally at the Chatmohar Baluchar playground in the Pabna-3 constituency (Chatmohar-Bhanguara-Faridpur), held after a large procession in support of the BNP candidate.
Swapan’s remarks drew a sharp backlash among BNP workers and ordinary residents across Chatmohar upazila and the Pabna-3 area, and a video of his speech went viral on social media within hours.
The procession was attended by Hasan Jafir Tuhin along with central BNP, Krishak Dal, district BNP and union-level BNP leaders from Chatmohar, Bhanguara and Faridpur upazilas.
The BNP has nominated Hasan Jafir Tuhin, central president of the Krishak Dal, for the Pabna-3 seat. But a faction led by central executive committee member K.M. Anarul Islam and former Chatmohar upazila BNP general secretary Md. Hasadul Islam Hira has been protesting, calling Tuhin an “outsider” and demanding a local nominee.
At a torch procession Friday, the dissident faction announced that if Tuhin’s nomination was not withdrawn in favor of a local candidate, either former lawmaker K.M. Anwarul Islam or former upazila chairman Hasadul Islam Hira would run as an independent. The dispute has fueled tensions inside and outside the party, with rival meetings and rallies continuing.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report