Political dynamics in the Comilla-5 (Burichang–Brahmanpara) constituency have become increasingly complex ahead of Bangladesh’s 13th parliamentary election. Two candidates from the 11-party alliance are contesting: Jamaat-e-Islami’s Advocate Mobarak Hossain, a former Islami Chhatra Shibir leader, and Barrister Zubair Ahmed, joint secretary general of Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party. Observers note that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) candidate, Haji Jasim Uddin, appears to be in a comparatively favorable position.
Both alliance candidates are actively campaigning, but their simultaneous presence has reportedly confused voters. Political analysts believe this split may benefit the BNP contender. Jamaat and AB Party leaders confirmed that only two constituencies nationwide—Comilla-5 and Sunamganj-3—feature both parties’ candidates under a mutual understanding within the 11-party coalition. Jamaat’s candidate expects AB Party to withdraw soon, while AB’s Zubair Ahmed insists he is running independently and is confident of victory.
The 11-party alliance, announced on January 15 in Dhaka, allocated 179 seats to Jamaat and three to AB Party. Local leaders say the overlapping nominations in Comilla-5 are part of the coalition’s agreed flexibility.