In the upcoming thirteenth general election, BNP will have to face Jamaat and independent candidates in the four parliamentary seats of Faridpur with a strong hand. BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami have already given primary nominations in all the seats in the district. Potential candidates of both parties are campaigning extensively in the area with their leaders and activists. Parties like NCP, Gana Adhikar Parishad, Khilafat Majlis, Islami Andolan, Jamiat-e-Ulama-e-Islam are also active. There is no campaigning by independent candidates either.
Former FBCCI president AK Azad from Faridpur-Sadar constituency, prominent journalist Arifur Rahman Dolan and Kanchanmunshi Foundation chairman from Faridpur-1 constituency, prominent industrialist Abul Bashar and architect Mujahid Beg from Faridpur-4 parliamentary constituency have announced their candidacies as independent candidates.
The biggest challenge for BNP in the four constituencies of Faridpur is the internal conflict within the party. However, district BNP member secretary AKM Kibria Swapan is optimistic about overcoming the challenge. He said, 'Internal conflict will not affect the vote. Forgetting differences, everyone will work for the sake of the rice.' Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami district Amir Muhammad Badruddin said, 'We have a good position in all four constituencies. Now, the decision of the center regarding the 8 Islamic like-minded parties will be accepted.’
Faridpur-1
(Boalmari-Alfadanga and Madhukhali) Upazila Faridpur-1 constituency. This constituency has always been won by Awami League candidates. Although the influence of BNP has increased after August 5, the internal conflict in the party is at its peak. The leaders and activists were divided due to the dispute between Upazila BNP Vice President Shamsuddin Mia Jhunu and Krishak Dal Vice President Khandaker Nasirul Islam. On November 7, the clash between the two parties at the Upazila headquarters turned into a battlefield. In the meantime, BNP announced the name of Khandaker Nasirul Islam as a possible candidate on December 4. Shamsuddin Mia Jhunu’s supporters are angry with this announcement. Khandaker Nasirul Islam said, ‘At this critical juncture of the country, an opportunity has come to exercise democratic rights after a long time. To utilize this, we are trying to work together without any differences in the party.' Shamsuddin Mia said, 'The nationalist force has been destroyed by nominating Khandaker Nasir. He has no acceptance, he has no votes in the area. Those who brought the party to today's level have not been evaluated.
The Jamaat-e-Islami candidate is Dr. Md. Ilyas Molya, former chairman of the Chemistry Department of Jahangirnagar University. He is conducting extensive public relations in the area with leaders and workers. The party's district ameer Muhammad Badruddin said that Ilyas Molya has acceptance in the area as a heavyweight candidate. He is getting a huge response from voters.
There are two influential independent candidates in this seat. Arifur Rahman Dolan, a prominent journalist and chairman of the Kanchanmunsi Foundation, and former Chhatra Dal leader and industrialist Abul Basar Khan. Dolan had contested independently from this seat in the last national election and got 86,000 votes. He has wide acceptance in the constituency.
Faridpur-2
Faridpur-2 constituency consists of Saltha and Nagarkanda upazilas. Former BNP Secretary General KM Obaidur Rahman was elected from here in 1996 and 2001. This time, his daughter Shama Obaid Islam has received the primary nomination of BNP. She has announced to maintain the continuity of her father's development in the election campaign. The possible candidate of Jamaat is Nagarkanda Upazila Amir Sohrab Hossain. Shah Akram Ali can be the candidate of Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis. He is known as a widely respected teacher in Faridpur. He is also popular as an Islamic speaker. Shah Akram Ali said, 'Our area has more supporters of scholars and ulama. As such, I am trying to be the sole candidate of Islamic parties. I am optimistic about winning based on the response I am getting in the meetings.' In this election, the BNP candidate will have to compete with the candidates of 8 pro-Islamic parties.
Faridpur-3
Faridpur-3 constituency consists of 12 unions and one municipality in Faridpur Sadar Upazila. From 1991 to 2008, the constituency was held by former BNP minister Chowdhury Kamal Ibn Yusuf. This time, the potential BNP candidate here is his daughter Chowdhury Nayab Yusuf. However, the followers of Advocate Modarres Ali Isha, another candidate seeking nomination, are not willing to accept her. They have also held a rally demanding the cancellation of Chowdhury Nayab Yusuf's primary nomination. Chowdhury Nayab Yusuf said, "My father has been elected from here repeatedly. It is proven that the people of Faridpur Sadar love BNP. People have not been able to vote for the last 15 years. They want to bring back BNP rule again."
Jamat's potential candidate Abdut Tawab is campaigning extensively in the area with leaders and activists. In his campaign, he is promising to create a non-discriminatory society free from poaching, trade and extortion. AK Azad, the managing director of Ha-Meem Group and former president of FBCCI, may be an independent candidate. Although he is an independent, he is considered a strong candidate. In 2024, he won as an independent candidate by a margin of about 60,000 votes. However, he was not seen in the field again after the attack by BNP supporters at his public meeting on October 19.
Amjad Hossain from Khilafat Majlis, Kamruzzaman from Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam and KM Sarwar from Islami Andolan are working in this constituency in the election.
Faridpur-4
Faridpur-4 constituency consists of Bhanga, Charbhadrasan and Sadarpur upazilas. The BNP candidate here is Shahidul Islam Bablu, the general secretary of Krishak Dal. His Although his ancestral home is in Faridpur-2 constituency, the party has given him primary nomination here. He is working for regulated paddy fields. Jamaat candidate Bhanga Upazila Amir Sarwar Hossain is in the constituency. He is trying to attract voters through meetings. Khelafat Majlis candidate Md. Mizanur Rahman Mollah. Architect Mujahid Beg is campaigning as an independent candidate. This architect has a clean image as an independent candidate in the constituency. However, the Awami League has always had a high voter turnout in this constituency, and many believe that the chances of winning in the next national election are high wherever those votes go.
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