Madaripur, August 4 (V7N) – In preparation for the upcoming 13th national parliamentary election, multiple aspirants from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) are actively campaigning in the Madaripur‑1 constituency, which comprises Shibchar Upazila, one municipality and 18 union councils. Jamaat-e-Islami has nominated Md. Sarwar Hossain Mridha, the Amir of Jamaat in Shibchar, who is the only candidate from his party campaigning in the area of Padma and Arial-kanal waterways.
 
From the BNP side, five individuals are in the running: Sajjid Hossain Siddique Lablu (current joint convener of district BNP and former parliamentary candidate), former Upazila BNP president Abu Zafar Chowdhury, businessman and fashion house owner Kamal Zaman Molla (also known as Nuruddin Molla), acting Upazila BNP president Yazem Hossain Roman, and Nadira Chowdhury, member of district BNP and widow of former president Nazmul Huda Mitha Chowdhury.
 
Sajjid Siddique Lablu, a former Dhaka city councillor and ex-coach of several prominent football teams including Victoria Sporting Club and Bangladesh Boys, contested the 2018 election under the BNP banner. Known locally as a clean politician, he is believed to lead in crowd support and grassroots campaigning, especially following August 5, when his network ramped up door-to-door outreach. He told the press that if nominated, he will contest and serve the people, drawing strength from public support.
 
Kamal Zaman Molla, emerging in local politics since 2008, previously ran as an independent candidate for Madaripur‑1. After recent realignment within the party, many supporters claim he has been appointed upazila convener by central BNP, though some factions dispute this. A known businessman with enterprises including Vashabi Fashion and Vashabi Jewelers, Molla’s supporters say he appeals strongly to younger voters in Shibchar and potentially in Dhaka‑17 constituency as well.
 
Abu Zafar Md. Hossain Chowdhury, younger brother of the late sports minister Abul Khair Chowdhury, entered BNP politics in 1985 and has long served as Shibchar BNP president. He is recognized for his integrity and steadfast political stance and is campaigning on party unity and grassroots rebuilding.
 
Acting Upazila BNP president Yazem Hossain Roman has worked in party leadership for nearly a decade and is now focusing on reorganizing the local committee, potentially positioning himself for nomination as upazila BNP president prior to broader election contests.
 
Nadira Chowdhury began active political engagement after her husband’s death. She represents the district BNP and has strong support in the Padma‑adjoining areas of Shibchar. She asserts that only once BNP unites can it reclaim strength in the constituency—and she is organising accordingly.
 
Jamaat’s nominee Md. Sarwar Hossain Mridha has a long political history dating back to the founding years of Islami Chhatra Shibir and rising through Jamaat’s ranks in Dhaka and Faridpur. He reports being the sole candidate visiting voters directly and leading campaign efforts openly, noting increased local support after the events of August last year.
 
Other parties active in Madaripur‑1 include Islami Andolan Bangladesh, which has announced candidate Maulana Akram Hossain and is forming committees and holding rallies since last August, and the youth‑focused National Citizens Party (NCP), which has registered with the election commission seeking ear, book and mobile election symbols. NCP reports over 1,000 members across Shibchar, with a majority aged between 18 and 35. The party is working on building a strong candidate committee ahead of the election.
 
Currently, the Awami League has been barred from contesting here—its registration suspended and operations banned by the interim government following the July‑August uprising. Former leaders remain in hiding or abroad.
 
Although the election date is not yet finalized, February of next year is being considered as the likely timeframe. With the contest approaching, aspirants from BNP, Jamaat, NCP and Islami Andolan are intensifying grassroots engagement—more to position themselves within their parties than to directly secure votes at present, as final nomination decisions remain pending.
 
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