The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Most of the major political leaders and former lawmakers of Barisal region including 23 constituencies of National Parliament were absent in their native areas and constituencies on Eid day and six of them passed Eid in the prison.

Conflicts between the pro and anti reformist factions of BNP and AL, allegations about corruption and misuse of power, conviction awarded by courts, wanted by law enforcing agencies mainly caused absences of the prominent political leaders in this region.

Those who observed Eid in their native areas were mostly silent and limited within close associates, followers and family members and even Zahiruddin Swapan, one of the pro-reformist BNP leader and lawmaker assaulted and faced factional clashes after going in his constituency to observe Eid.

On other hand new faces, winter or guest birds of political arenas , nomination aspirants for upazila or National Oarkuanebtart polls were most active in their respective constituencies and native areas during Eid even printing colorful poster, hoisting banners to greet their voters.

Reports collected from different region said that Air Vice Marshal Altaf Hussein Chowdhury (rtd.), former Home, Commerce Minister and Lawmaker, Advocate Majibor Rahman Sarwar, former BCC Mayor and law maker, Hafiz Ibrahim, Nazimuddin Alam, Matiur Rahman Talukdar, former BNP lawmakers, Pankaj Devnath, Swechchasebok League general secretary observed Eid Ul Fitr under custody.

Anwar Hussein Monju, former Communication Mminister, Lawmaker and chairman of Jatiya Party faction, Begum Tasmima Hussein, his wife and former JP lawmaker, Abul Hasanat Abdullah, former chief whip and Barisal district AL secretary, Barrister Shahjahan Omar, former Land, Law Minister and Lawmaker, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, central Juboleague chairman, Nurul Islam Moni, former BNP lawmaker remained absconding since declaration of emergency.

AKM Jahangir, Former Minister and AL lawmakers, ASM Firoz, former AL lawmaker and Mawlana Delwar Hussein Saidi, former Jamati lawmaker, also absent in their respective constituency on Eid day as they were busy to perform ritual of Omra Haj.

Syed Moazzem Hussein Alal, central Jubodal secretary, went London to observe Eid with his son and yet not retuned.

Amir Hussein Amu, Tofael Ahmed central presidium members of AL , Rashed Khan Menon, president Workers Party, Major Hafizuddin Ahmed (rtd.), former commerce, water resources mnister,lawmaker and leader of the reformist faction of BNP, Shah Md. Abul Hussein, pro-reformist former finance and planning state minister, Syed Shahidul Huq Jamal, former BNP whip,Elen Bhutto, Rustam, Ali Farazi, former BNP lawmakers, Md Mahbubur Rahman Talukdar, AL lawmaker, were absent in their constituency on Eid day.

Mosharraf Hussein Shahjahan, former BNP minister for religious affairs, Zahiruddin Swapan, central information and research secretary, Abul Hussein Khan, central Jubodal vice chairman and former lawmaker, Mosharraf Hussein Mongu, Shahidul Alam Talukdar, former BNP lawmakers, Ruhul Amin Howladar, Jatio Party (Ershad) secretary general, Delwar Hussein, former AL lawmaker, Barrister Andalib Rahman Partha, JP (Naziur) leader observed Eid Ul Fitr in their respective constituencies.