Several seasoned politicians, who served as ministers after winning general polls more than once, and an incumbent state minister failed to make it to the National Parliament, confirms unofficial results of Sunday’s general election.
They are Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal President Hasanul Haq Inu, Jatiya Party (JP) Chairman Anwar Hossain Monju, Trinamool BNP President Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury, Trinamool BNP’s Taimur Alam Khandkar, Bikalpa Dhara Joint Secretary General Mahi B Chowdhury, expelled Jataiya Party (JAPA) leader Mashiur Rahman Ranga, Krishak Sramik Janata League President Abdul Kader Siddique, Bangladesher Workers’ Party General Secretary Fazle Hossain Badsha, singer-cum-Awami League MP Momtaz Begumand State Minister for Civil Aviation M Mahbub Ali.
Inu was defeated by 19,161 votes. Contesting for the Kushtia-2 (Mirpur-Bheramara) seat with the Awami League’s electoral symbol Boat, he got 79,735 votes. Kamarul Arefin, an independent candidate with the Truck symbol, was unofficially elected with 98,896 votes.
Anwar Hossain Manju, a seven-time MP, lost the Pirojpur-2 election against independent candidate Mahiuddin Maharaj.
This marks the first time Manju has lost a national election, having previously contested seven times.
Maharaj, the district Awami League Joint General Secretary and former Zilla Parishad chairman, once served Manju as his personal assistant.
Former BNP leaders, Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury and Taimur were contesting from the Sylhet-6 and Narayanganj-1 constituencies, respectively.
Mahi B Chowdhury, also the son of a former president and influential BNP leader Badruddoza Chowdhury, suffered the defeat in the Munshiganj-1 seat.
Former Jatiya Party secretary general Mashiur Rahman Ranga, an independent candidate from Rangpur-1 (Gangachra) constituency, has lost his electoral race to Awami League leader Asaduzzaman.
Independent candidate Asaduzzaman with the `kettle` symbol got 73,927 votes. His nearest rival independent candidate Mashiur Rahman Ranga bagged 24,332 votes with the ‘truck’ symbol.
In the Rajshahi-2 seat, Fazle Hossain Badsha, who was a 14-party alliance candidate, was defeated by a narrow margin.
He got 31,466 votes while the independent candidate, Shafiqur Rahman Badsha, secured 34,906 votes.
Awami League candidate Anupam Shahjahan Joy has been elected unofficially in the Tangail-8 constituency, defeating Kader Siddique.
Joy secured 41,233 votes while Kader Siddique got 29,865 votes.
Barrister Sayedul Haque Sumon, an independent candidate from Habiganj-4 constituency, became victorious in the 12th general election.
He defeated Awami League candidate and incumbent State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Md Mahbub Ali.
Sumon bagged nearly 198,000 votes while Mahbub Ali received around 47,000 votes.
Awami League candidate Momtaz Begum, popular singer and a three-time member of parliament, has lost the race to the Jatiya Sangsad to independent candidate Dewan Zahid Ahemd Tulu in Manikganj-2.
Competing with the electoral symbol `truck`, Tulu pulled 84,525 votes in 193 polling stations.
On the other hand, Momtaz got 78,269 votes competing with the `boat` symbol.