Election in Sylhet : Chokka Soifur to Shah Jahan Mater!

In 1990, Chokka Soifur won the chairmanship of the Sylhet Sadar Upazila Parishad elections. Who was a cook by profession in a broken down restaurant on the side of the road. Sometimes he also drove a wheelbarrow. The people of Sylhet Sadar upazila elected this laborer who was completely unknown to the general public.

Chokka Soifur became known as 'Chokka Soifur' after defeating the heavyweight candidates. By this name he is known all over the country. His popularity spread beyond Sylhet.

In the recently concluded Sylhet city elections, one such common labor mayoral candidate created a surprise. This candidate named Shahjahan Mia was also an employee of Chapra restaurant in the beginning of his professional life. He is known as 'Shah Jahan Master'.

Although he did not win the post of mayor, Shahjahan Master came third by getting about 30 thousand votes. Shahjahan Master like Chokka Soifur also had no posters, leaflets, marches-showdowns. There was no workforce. He got 29 thousand 688 votes by campaigning alone with the help of money given by the people. Jatiya Party's mayoral candidate Nazrul Islam Babul, who came second in Wednesday's election, got 50,862 votes.

Shahjahan Mia lives with his family in a half-baked two-room house like a slum with a rent of only 3,500 taka. There is no such thing as furniture in the house. In the front room there is a bed, worn racks and sewing machine, and a broken sofa that creaks and threatens to collapse if more than one person sits on it.

On Thursday evening, Surma River went to this house in Ghasitula Majumdar Para area of Lagoa Nagar and talked to this candidate who is being discussed for the post of mayor. He was eating rice while sitting on the bed. With egg and potato curry. There is only one electric light in two rooms of the house. And its light is so weak that even the face of the man in front is not well seen.

It is known that Shahjahan came to Sylhet in 2002 in pursuit of scarcity from Mymensingh. He was quite a teenager then. He came to Sylhet and took a job as a 'glass boy' in a restaurant in Kanishail area of the city. Glass boy means glass washer.
Although he worked in a restaurant, he was interested in studies. So along with work, he enrolled in Bholananda Naish High School in the city. Then passed SSC and HSC from Mymensingh. And in 2018, this indomitable young man graduated from Sylhet's Madan Mohan College.

Shahjahan worked in about 80 restaurants in Sylhet during this period. He also worked in a candle factory. Shahjahan got a big profit from it. He said, I got to know the working class better by working in many restaurants and factories. They like me too. They have helped me a lot in this election.

Among the 8 candidates for the post of mayor, he is the most behind in money and 'social status', but he attracted attention due to his exceptional campaign.

Shahjahan first attracted attention through exceptional election campaigns like Chokka Soifur. He used to go out with his bicycle in the morning. He used to plow the city alone with his bicycle. He went to the voters. Propaganda means only leaflets, that too printed at someone else's expense. He would hand them over to the voters. He asked for votes and prayers. Shah Jahan first attracted attention by carrying out this solitary campaign.

About his campaign, Shahjahan Mia said, I used to go out on my bicycle in the morning and return in the evening. During this time I used to go to people as much as possible. I didn't have to worry about having tea or snacks, almost all restaurant workers are familiar. They used to feed.

He said, I could not make the banner poster because I did not have money. Leaflets were also made by others. I have spent about 2/3 thousand rupees in total from my pocket during the election. Now he has no permanent job. When you do what you can. Medicines are supplied by various companies. He also had a pharmacy, but no more.

Panta Fura runs out to bring his own salt, but Shah Jahan is always a pioneer in the service of people. He opened a free medical center in Kanishail area and gave first aid to the poor workers. Shahjahan said that he opened a coaching center and taught poor children for free, and even gave food assistance to 200 people during the Corona crisis.

Shahjahan said about adding the word master to his name, he taught for a while in a semi-government primary school in Goainghat upazila of Sylhet. Besides, free tuition at the coaching center. So everyone calls Shahjahan master. About 30,000 votes, he said, people have voted with love from Maya. They liked me. This debt is not repayable.

Shahjahan said, people did not know my symbol. I am a lonely man. I could not go to everyone. Otherwise I would have got more votes. Shahjahan Master like 'Chakka Siichfur' is addicted to voting. Sixfur also became a candidate in the presidential election. And Shahjahan bought the nomination for the post of MP of Sylhet-1 seat in the last parliamentary elections. But could not submit. The signature of one percent of the voters has to be submitted to the Election Commission along with the nomination paper. Couldn't get it then.

He said, the plan was to become a public representative in his childhood. I couldn't buy a school notebook pen when I was a child. So I want to serve people all the time. This is why I am a candidate for the election. Shahjahan Mia said that if there is public support, he is interested in being a candidate in future elections.

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