AL Politics: Barishal sees overnight shift

The Awami League's decision to choose Abul Khair Abdullah over his nephew and incumbent mayor Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah as the Barishal mayoral candidate has changed political equations in the city.

Sadiq is the son of Abul Hasnat Abdullah, a veteran politician who is the president of Barishal district Awami League, lawmaker from Barishal-1 and a member of AL's central working committee.

With Sadiq as the general secretary of Barishal city AL, the father and son had been controlling the AL politics in the district, without giving their political rivals any space.

The two have already started losing their grip on local politics with Khair, the youngest brother of Hasnat, appearing on the scene.

Immediately after his nomination on Saturday, the speedboat terminal of Barishal, a city crisscrossed by  rivers and canals, was captured by the anti-Sadiq faction within the party.

The faction is also looking to take the microbus and three-wheelers stand at Rupatali and the central bus terminal at Nathullabad, and a tense situation is prevailing in the areas.

Sadiq earned a bad name for keeping these terminals under his control. 

His rivals, who never dared speak against him or his father, brought out a procession welcoming the party decision and distributed sweets on Saturday night.

There has been a festive mood among the followers of late Barishal mayor Shawkat Hossain Hiron and Barishal Sadar constituency lawmaker and State Minister for Water Resources Colonel (retd) Zahid Faruk, who has a long-standing rivalry with the Serniabat family.

Despite this, Hasnat and Khair may join hands ahead of the city polls, slated for June 12, for their own good, local AL sources say.

As AL chief Sheikh Hasina, a relative of the Serniabat family, herself backed Khair's nomination, the father and son have no alternative but to accept it for the sake of their political future.

A little-known Khair has no party portfolio in the city and no followers of his own, and he needs political support from his brother and nephew for the electoral battle, added the sources.

He also has no permanent residency in the city.

Khair once said he was not allowed at Barishal's Kali Bari Road residence of their father Abdur Rab Serniabat, the minister for irrigation and flood control in Bangabandhu's cabinet. 

After winning the party ticket, Khair pledged to work with the local Awami League and is scheduled to visit Barishal today.

It's a common knowledge in Barishal that Khair has a stiff rivalry with Hasnat.

But yesterday, he went to Hasnat's Dhaka residence where Sadiq was also present. Later, some pictures of the two brothers and the Barishal mayor were circulated on Facebook.

Sadiq already expressed his support for his uncle and vowed to work unitedly.

Talking to his supporters on Tuesday, he said, "We were united and will remain united. We work for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and will do whatever is needed to ensure the victory of her candidate."

Even if they really mean all this, some factors can stand in the way of the AL's success.

If any BNP leader runs for mayor as an independent candidate ignoring the party decision and if the local units work unitedly, the possibility of success is high, according to local politicians.

Kamrul Ashan Rupom, son of former BNP-sponsored Barishal city mayor Ashan Habib Kamal, and BNP leader Ebadul Haque Chan may contest the polls as independent candidates.

Islami Andolon Bangladesh, founded by "Charmonair Pir" Fazlul Karim, has also popularity in the city as the party started its journey from here. The party already said it will take part in the election and announce the name of its candidate after Eid.

Jatiya Party, the main opposition in parliament, will also participate in the election and party presidium member Iqbal Hossain Taposh might get the ticket, said sources.