Bangladesh
Election campaign trail-8
The four constituencies of Cox's Bazar: Voters are more
analytical than sentimental
Published: 05 Feb 2026, 07: 32
At the Kolatali crossroads in Cox's Bazar town, it is 9:30 a.m. I am at a tea stall. The sound of waves smashing into the shore wafts in from the beach as gentle sunlight pours through. I bring up the topic of voting. "There will be an election, but this time the calculations look a little different," replies a middle-aged man.
In the late afternoon or evening, political disputes and election-related conversations typically pick up steam at tea stands. Mohammad Mostofa, a native of Samiti Para in the town of Cox's Bazar, was the first to reply at such an early hour. In his conversation, he comes out as pragmatic. However, he simply alludes to the computation when he states, "This time the calculation is different."
I traveled to Cox's Bazar, a popular tourist destination, last Sunday in order to comprehend the electoral situation. After spending three days touring the district, Mostofa's statement that "this time the calculation is different" seemed to capture the spirit of the election throughout the whole district.
This time, voters exhibit more calculation and less emotion, which is another noteworthy feature. Everyone I talked to looked to be considering their alternatives, so they tended to avoid making bold claims. Young people in particular want to know what they will get over the next five years and are not loyal to any single party or symbol.
Four realities, four constituencies
There are four parliamentary constituencies in the Cox's Bazar area. Each has its own realities, surrounded by hills, rivers, the sea, and frontiers. In addition to being a tourist destination, Cox's Bazar is a coastal neighborhood next to a harbor.
Salahuddin Ahmed, a member of the BNP National Standing Committee, and Hamidur Rahman Azad, the central assistant secretary of Jamaat-e-Islami, are two nationally significant politicians running from separate constituencies this time. The district is being watched closely as a result.
Cox's Bazar-1: Is the "uneven contest" getting more difficult?
Salahuddin Ahmed, a former state minister and head of the BNP, has brought attention to Cox's Bazar-1 (Chakaria–Pekua). He has been elected as an MP from this constituency four times, as has his spouse.
Speaking with locals while visiting many unions in Chakaria and Pekua from Tuesday afternoon to Wednesday evening indicates that the anticipated "uneven contest" between Salahuddin Ahmed and Abdullah Al Faruk, the youthful candidate for Jamaat, is not playing out as planned.
Sarwar Alam Kutubi of Islami Andolan Bangladesh is another contender here, but locals think Salahuddin Ahmed and Faruk will face off in the primary.
Along with Prothom Alo's Chakaria correspondent S M Hanif, I spent the last two days touring places like Islam Nagar, Shiklaghat, Halkakara in Chakaria municipality, and portions of Jalialkhali and Shilkhali unions in Pekua Sadar. Locals claim that Salahuddin Ahmed laid the groundwork for a large portion of Chakaria-Pekua's visible development. He introduced the first government building bricks to Pekua in 1991.
Another point of discussion is how Abdullah Al Faruk, a relatively recent Jamaat ameer of Cox's Bazar town, has become an opponent of Salahuddin Ahmed.
I talk to Nurul Amin, a salt farmer from Jalialkhali Sadar, around 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday in Pekua's Chowmuhani. His motorcycle has a scale sticker on it. He says he is hopeful about the Jamaat candidate's prospects.
The paddy sheaf symbol's proponents contend that progress has been made under Salahuddin Ahmed, a national leader who may once more serve as a minister if the BNP wins power.
In response, Nurul Amin states: "There is no dispute over him, even though all of that may be true. However, BNP activists have been extorting, threatening, and seizing enclosures (gher) since August 5. People claim that Faruk is superior because of this.
Speaking at his residence in Pekua, Salahuddin Ahmed tells Prothom Alo that severe measures were implemented in response to complaints over isolated events. He also asserts that during the past year or so, they have experienced more propaganda than reality.
When asked why he believes he is a strong candidate, Faruk responds that voters care about national concerns. People need "fresh" people and desire a nation free from corruption; progress will come organically.
"If they have 500 votes, they think they will be chairman; if they have 5,000, they think they will be MP," remarks Salahuddin Ahmed.
In Cox's Bazar-1, there are 540,000 voters—390,000 in Chakaria and 146,000 in Pekua. Faruk lives in Chakaria, whereas Salahuddin Ahmed resides in Pekua. Regional voting trends continue to be discussed, but until yesterday, no such impact was apparent. After the schedule announcement, locals, journalists, and educators claim that Jamaat's candidate muddled the field. However, during the past week, there has been a change, with Salahuddin Ahmed continuing to reach out.
Is Azad going to be successful?
Cox's Bazar-2 is an island constituency that includes Kutubdia and Maheshkhali. Alamgir Muhammad Mahfuz Ullah Farid, a member of the BNP's central executive committee, takes on Jamaat's central assistant secretary general, A H M Hamidur Rahman Azad.
Both were previously elected as Members of Parliament in the BNP-Jamaat coalition. They are now in competition with one another. 387,851 people cast ballots—104,919 in Kutubdia and 282,932 in Maheshkhali. Farid lives in Maheshkhali, whereas Azad lives in Kutubdia. If Azad predominates, regional factors could work against them.
Azad claims that attempts to highlight regional differences have failed, pointing to similar tactics used in previous Awami League competitions in which he was still victorious. If the election is fair, he says he has complete faith in winning.
However, it is thought that the BNP candidate may benefit if regional factors affect the outcome. Beyond that, everyone is figuring out how Awami League supporters would vote.
Internal conflict within the BNP is also discussed. According to local sources, tensions are still present below the surface, despite the rifts appearing to have resolved. Alamgir Muhammad Mahfuz Ullah, a BNP candidate, told Prothom Alo yesterday that everyone has come together and there are no longer any issues. He also said he was confident in his ability to win.
Fierce rivalry for the Sadar seat
The reality of Cox's Bazar-3 (Sadar, Ramu, and Eidgaon) is shaped by concerns related to tourism, business, transportation, cost of living, and land grabbing. Party-symbol politics have not eclipsed these issues.
Lutfur Rahman Kajol of the BNP, Shahidul Alam Bahadur of the Jamaat, and Amirul Islam of the Islami Andolan are among the five candidates running. It is anticipated that Kajol and Bahadur would compete in the main match.
Bahadur is a former deputy-chairman of the Cox's Bazar Sadar Upazila Parishad and a former vice president of the Cox's Bazar Government College; Kajol is a former MP from a powerful local family.
Speaking with low-income workers traveling from Dhaka to Teknaf revealed that many of them supported a specific party, as I mentioned earlier. Here, that presumption failed. I questioned Sohag, the auto-rickshaw driver, about the situation on Sunday after we arrived at the Cox's Bazar railway station. He claims that Kajol is a decent man who has never hurt anyone, is financially stable, and appears to have a solid position.
However, discussions in at least ten places reveal that newcomer Bahadur has developed fierce competition, with some forecasting a race that is neck and neck. According to Nasir Uddin of Ramu, Kajol appears to have a tiny advantage, but Bahadur will not fall far behind; the winner will be close.
Cox's Bazar-4 (Ukhiya–Teknaf) is the district's most delicate constituency, where the Rohingya issue, drug and human trafficking, and cross-border security are the main topics of conversation. Jamaat's Noor Ahmed Anwari is a formidable rival to Shahjahan Chowdhury, the BNP's seasoned politician and four-time MP.
No "one-sided wave"
After spending a few days in Cox's Bazar, it is evident that this election is more about calculating than emotion.
Voters consider historical performance as well as possible real-life changes from power transfers, in addition to national significance and local impact.
Because of this, there is not a definite "one-sided wave" to be seen; instead, many people are deliberating until the last minute.
"This time the math is different," Mostofa remarked at the tea kiosk near Kolatali crossroads. That assertion appears to be totally true after visiting all four constituencies.
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