Elections campaign in Sylhet: Expatriates’ huge enthusiasm visible

The elections campaigns in various parliamentary seats in Sylhet have become live and active due to the involvement of expatriates of the district. A few hundreds of expatriates arrived in Sylhet to take part in the campaign for their favorite candidates. Even, they’re participating in mass communications, rally, meetings and processions and requesting the local people to vote for their favorite ones.

According to different candidates in Sylhet, more than 1000 expatriates were to come to Sylhet and take part in elections campaign for 12th national polls. However, the civil society members fear about the negative impact of probable huge money spending regarding it. They urged the election commission to have close eye over the matter.

A total of seven former expatriates leaders have become candidates in six Sylhet constituencies. Among them, there’re candidates from Awami League, Jatiya Party, Ganoforum and independent candidate. Foreign minister Dr. AK Abdul Momen, the candidate of AL in Sylhet-1 constituency had spent many years in the US. He has very good relation with the Sylhet expatriates living there. In the last national elections, huge number of expatriates came to the country to take part in his elections campaign. They’re also coming to Sylhet this time. The maximum number of expatriates came to take part in election campaigns of Sylhet-2 constituency. The constituency is consists of Biswanath and Osmaninagar Upazila. The AL candidate for this seat is Shafiqur Rahman Chowdhury, once who was general secretary of UK wing of AL. He won here in 9^th national elections. As he got party nominations this time, the expatriates are rushing to Sylhet to take part in elections campaign on behalf of him. They’re participating in rally and meetings along with Shafiqur Rahman and requesting the families of expatriates live in Sylhet to cast vote for him.

There are three other candidates in the same seat who were once expatriates. They are- candidate of Gano Forum, current MP Mokabbir Khan, former MP and Jatiya Party candidate Yahya Chowdhury and independent candidate Muhibur Rahman. All these three were expatriates in the United Kingdom. Expats from the UK are returning home to campaign for them too. Awami League candidate for Sylhet-3 Constituency Habibur Rahman Habib is the relief affairs secretary of the United Kingdom branch of the party. Expatriates have started coming to the country to participate in campaign for him in this elections. Already at least 25 expatriate leaders are staying in Sylhet. Sylhet-6 constituency is also known as expatriates-dominated. Sarwar Hossain, the former founding president of Canada Awami League, is an independent candidate for this seat. Apart from Canada, he has many well-wishers in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Former education minister Nurul Islam Nahid is also a candidate for this constituency. According to the people close to Sarwar, expatriates are coming to the country to participate in election campaigns for him. Another expatriate candidate in the same seat is the central leader of Jatiya Party Salim Uddin. He had lived in UK for a long time. In that respect, he has good relations with UK expatriate community leaders. Several expatriates of Biyanibazar upazila have returned to the country to work on his behalf. At least half a hundred expatriates are said to be waiting to come to the country.

On the other hand, if there is no strict monitoring by the Election Commission, the civil society of Sylhet fear that money will spread in abundance through the expatriates. In this regard, Faruk Mahmud Chowdhury, President of Citizen for Good Governance (Sujan) in Sylhet, said, "Many expatriates have become candidates. They are coming to Sylhet to participate in the elections campaign. They are basically looking forward to make their expatriate candidates victorious so that it paves the way for their own future candidacy. That is why there is a fear of influencing voters with money. In the past also there have been cases of spreading of money in elections through expatriates. The Election Commission should keep strict vigilance in this regard.”

(The report was published in print and online version of The Bangladesh Pratidin on December 26 and rewritten in English by Lutful Hoque Khan)