SUNAMGANJ — Jamaat-e-Islami nominee Tofayel Ahmed Khan was unable to withdraw his candidacy for the Sunamganj-1 seat after party workers locked him inside the district office for about six hours, the candidate said. He was released later that evening.
Khan, who is also the district Jamaat amir, confirmed the account Tuesday night, Jan. 20.
Khan said he had been held at the Jamaat-e-Islami district office in the city’s Hasannagar area beginning around 2 p.m. Tuesday. Supporters and workers locked him inside and bolted the main gate, keeping him confined until about 8 p.m.
Workers at the scene said both Jamaat activists and ordinary voters in the constituency wanted Khan as the candidate, and that no one in the area knew the alliance’s nominee.
Maulana Abdullah, secretary of the district Jamaat, said workers and supporters surrounded the group as Khan was preparing to leave to file his withdrawal papers. They locked the doors from outside, trapping Khan and other leaders inside, he said. As a result, the withdrawal could not be filed despite his intention to do so.
The 10-party alliance has named Maulana Mozammil Haque Talukder, a central assistant secretary general of Bangladesh Nezame Islam Party, as its candidate for the seat on the “book” symbol. Talukder’s home is in Swaraswatipur village in Joyshree union of Sunamganj’s Dharmapasha upazila.
Talukder said he serves as a central leader of his party, amir of the Sylhet metropolitan unit and convener for Sunamganj. He has been named the final 10-party alliance candidate in the seat, he said. Whether the Jamaat district amir withdraws his nomination is his own decision, Talukder added.
“Since we are in an alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami, Tofayel Ahmed Khan and his central leaders will understand the matter,” Talukder said. “I have no comment on this.”
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report