The area seriously lacks a good communication network, which the BNP government is trying to improve, he said at a big rally on the Noakhali Saptagaon High School ground near Noakhali Bazar in South Sunamganj yesterday afternoon.

Mannan said the area lacks good road network and other facilities though it produced two national level leaders.

The rally was organised to campaign for alliance candidate Moulana Shahinur Pasha Chowdhury, a leader of Islami Oikya Jute (IOJ).

Chaired by Moulana Abdul Bosir, the rally was also addressed by, among others, ruling party Whip Fazlul Haque Aspia, former minister Mufti Wakkas MP, Sunamganj district BNP president Nozir Hossain MP, its general secretary Kolim Uddin Ahmed Milon MP, Sylhet district BNP convener M Ilyas Ali MP and former lawmaker Nasir Uddin Chowdhury. Alliance candidate Shahinur Pasha Chowdhury also addressed the rally.

Mannan Bhuiyan said, after the by-elections he would visit the area thoroughly to prepare a programme for its overall development.

He also listed by his government's successes in different fields. He claimed that law and order has improved as criminals are being punished irrespective of their political affiliations.

"BNP did not produce any new godfathers anywhere in the country", he asserted.

He said the people voted the four-party-alliance to power for peace and development and the government is doing its best to live up to its commitments.

Other speakers said, though Awami League leaders were elected from the area for consecutive terms, they could not do any development work because of their internal feud.

The minister also addressed another big rally at Jagannathpur upazila headquarters.