The parliamentary seat of Barishal Sadar has long been considered a vote stronghold for the BNP.
Even during the turbulent times of Ershad’s regime and the 1/11 political unrest, BNP managed to hold onto this seat. The party’s winning streak continued in the national elections of 1991, 1996, and 2001.
Besides, BNP-backed candidates won the 2003 and 2012 City Corporation elections, reinforcing the party's deep-rooted influence in Barisal’s political landscape.
Now, however, the Islamic Alliance seems poised to challenge this dominance. Political analysts suggest that if Jamaat-e-Islami, Char Monai’s Islami Andolan Bangladesh, and other Islamic parties unite and contest the election jointly, BNP will have to work hard to retain the seat.
Complicating matters further are the BNP’s internal issues — factional infighting, leadership rivalries, dominance struggles among multiple groups, and a tendency among some leaders to build personal circles of influence. These dynamics have increasingly strained the party's political coherence in Barisal.
Political observers warn that if BNP fails to overcome its internal divisions and resolve its leadership crisis, it risks losing one of its historically reliable constituencies.
BNP Chairperson’s Adviser and former President of Barisal Metropolitan BNP, Mojibur Rahman Sarwar, remarked, people who lack the capacity for qualified leadership are becoming leaders. This has led to the creation of various pro- and anti-groups within Barisal city BNP. The current leadership has failed to unite these factions in one platform. In some cases, there's also been a lack of sincerity. When there are internal problems, it’s only natural that external groups will try to exploit them.
Despite the concerns, he expressed hope that after the nomination process, all levels of BNP leaders will unite to ensure victory for the party's candidate.
