Even though Awami League (AL) candidate for Tangail-3 constituency (Ghatail upazila) Ataur Rahman Khan and his men are seen going door to door seeking votes, BNP-backed Oikyafront aspirant Lutfar Rahman Khan Azad and his supporters were not seen in most of the areas in the constituency.

AL-backed Atoar is father of incumbent Lawmaker Amanur Rahman Khan Rana, who is currently in jail in connection with freedom fighter Faruk Ahmed murder case.

Rana's uncle and Ataur's elder brother Shamsur Rahman Khan Shajahan was elected lawmaker from the constituency with AL ticket in 1970, 1973 and 1986 general elections.

After BNP's Shawkat Bhuiyan bagged the MP post in 1979, BNP's Lutfar Rahman Khan Azad took control of the constituency and was elected lawmaker in 1991, 1996 and 2001 general elections.

Azad was later made minister on two occasions, after the 1991 and the 2001 polls.

In 2008, AL candidate Dr Motiur Rahman was elected lawmaker from the constituency but the seat fell vacant as he died on September 13, 2012.

Later, the then general secretary of upazila unit AL Shahidul Islam Lebu got the party ticket in the by-polls, but lost to intra-party rival Amanur Rahman Khan Rana, who was also elected lawmaker uncontested in 2014 polls as an AL nominee.  

Locals expected a tough fight this time between Ataur and Azad, but the situation later turned into a one-sided affair.

Local voters said though a huge number of AL men are holding campaigns for Ataur, Oikyafront men, especially Azad's supporters, are nowhere in the scene, allegedly in fear of attack and arrest.

Azad's motorcade was attacked allegedly by the ruling party men near Atharodana area on Monday that left his 14 supporters injured.

Later, Azad, who went to the local police station for lodging a complaint, had to leave with police protection after Ataur's men allegedly went there with a procession.

Five other candidates from the constituency are SM Chan Miah (National Peoples' Party), Abu Hanif (Bangladesh Torikot Federation), Rezaul Karim (Islami Andolon Bangladesh), Khalilur Rahman (Jaker Party) and Ataur Rahman Khan (Bangladesh Nationalist Front).

In Tangail-6, although AL candidate from the constituency (Nagarpur and Delduar upazilas) Ahsanul Islam Titu has been running his election campaign in full swing, BNP nominated Gautam Chakrabarty remains far behind.

Gautam, who was elected lawmaker from the constituency in 1996 and 2001 general elections by defeating AL candidate and incumbent lawmaker Khandakar Abdul Baten, was made minister during the four-party alliance government in 2001.

On the other hand, AL candidate Titu was defeated in the 2008 elections by incumbent lawmaker Baten, who contested the polls as an independent candidate.

This time, AL nominated Titu, son of former lawmaker for Dhaka-13 Mokbul Hossain, is confident to win the election as the whole constituency is buzzing with his campaign.

Meanwhile, Oikyafront nominated Gautam has remained almost silent following filing of several cases against many important leaders and activists of BNP in the two upazilas in the last couple of days. 

Gautam alleged that at least 20 BNP activists, including him, were injured when his motorcade came under attack by the ruling party men near Dhuburia area in Nagarpur upazila on Tuesday night.

Four other candidates are M Ashraful Islam (independent), Mamunur Rahman (National Peoples' Party), Akhenur Miah (Islami Andolon Bangladesh) and Sultan Mahmud (Bangladesh Nationalist Front).