With the 11th parliamentary election due late this year, regional political party United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF) has been creating a level playing field in Khagrachari to fight with major parties like Awami League and BNP.


Others regional parties are also active ahead of the polls, which many claimed are the reason behind the rise of the tense situation in the hilly district recently.
Analysts said no election fever is yet to catch the grass-root areas as grouping hits inside ruling AL. The BNP has also announced new committees for its front organizations to keep its supporter active ahead of the polls.
On the other hand, UPFD, which is yet to be registered at the Election Commission, is active at the grass-root level. Despite facing defeat in the national election since 2001, the party, however, managed to win in union and upazila parisad elections.
Data for the district collection office shows, the Khagrachari constituency (Parliament Seat no 298) consists with nine upazilas of the district. With nearly 60,000 new voters, mostly from the young generation, the present number of voters stands at 441,068 -- up from 381,516 voters in the 10th parliamentary election.
Intra-party conflict hits Awami League
Local activists of Awami League have been mainly divided into two groups, led by incumbent lawmaker and district AL unit President Kujendra Lal Tripura and district Al unit General Secretary Zahedul Islam.
Activists feared that intra-party conflict is likely to rise as several leaders are trying to secure the AL ticket on the race to the Member of Parliament.
Incumbent lawmaker Kujendra Lal Tripura, District Council Chairman and Khagrachari AL unit Vice-President Kangjari Chowdhury and former lawmaker Jatindra Lal Tripura are in the list of potential candidates for the next election.
Former MP Jatindra Lal Tripura, however, hopes to secure the candidacy once again saying, “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave me many responsibilities after I had won the 2008 election.”
“I couldn’t join the 2014 election due to sickness,” he said hoping that the PM will give him another chance to contest the polls.
Existing lawmaker Kujendra Lal, however, said that selection of the candidate is a matter of the central committee. “I’ll work for anyone whom the leader (Sheikh Hasina) will pick up,” he said.
Kangjari Chowdhury echoed the Kujendra Lal saying that he will for the person whom the party will choose.
BNP faces the challenge of lawsuits
The fate of the former BNP lawmaker Wadud Bhiuyan hangs on the balance as the High Court is yet to give its verdict on an appeal challenging a graft case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission against him during the military-backed caretaker regime.
Former BNP central executive committee member Samiran Dewan and former district council chairman Manindra Lal Tripura may be in the list of potential candidates for BNP.
Bhiuyan, who is also the district BNP unit president, however, said that if his party comes to national polls then time will say who is going to be the candidate.
New face in Jatiya Party
A new face in the Jatiya party is more likely if the AL decides to give an alliance’s candidate. JP Presidium member Alam Sheth is the potential candidate.
Claiming HM Ershad did a massive development in the CTH districts, JP Khagrachari unit leader Khorshed Alam said, “If a fair election is held the JP party will win here.”
UPDF picks its candidate
With a grass-roots support among regional organizations, UPDF has picked its chief Praseet Bikash Khasi for vying in the constituency in the next general polls.
The party followers, however, claimed that they are facing challenges.
“Different groups backed by the government started killings to make the UPDF’s level playing field inactive,” said Anggoya Mara, president of Democratic Youth Forum, which is loyal to UPDF.
More candidates form other parties
Besides AL and BNP, Socialist Party of Bangladesh (BSD), Islami Shashontantra Andolon, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD-Inu), Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (MN Marma) and Nagorik Committee are among the parties to give candidates in the next election.