Staff Reporter :A total of 36 mayor candidates are finally contesting the forthcoming elections of the two city corporations of Dhaka.Six Mayor candidates, including BNP leader Abdus Salam and sacked Jatiya Party leader Bobby Hajjaj, withdrew their nominations on Thursday. The BNP-backed Mayor aspirant for Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Abdul Awal Mintoo was finally disqualified for the election as the Supreme Court (SC) rejected his appeal for taking part in the upcoming polls.BNP treasurer Abdus Salam, Kazi Abul Bashar and Mohammad Riazuddin withdrew their candidature as Mayor for Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) on the final day for the withdrawal of nominations. The other candidate Imatiaz Alam earlier pulled himself out of the Mayoral contest. With the withdrawal of four candidates, the total number of the Mayor aspirants for the DSCC stood at 20. The candidates are Abu Naser Mohammad Masud Hossain, ASM Akram, Advocate Mohammad Ayub Hossain, SM Asaduzzaman Ripon, Dilip Bhadra, Bazlur Rashid Feroze, Moshiur Rahman, Mirza Abbas Uddin Ahmed, Akhtaruzzaman alias Ayatullah, Abdur Rahman, Abdul Khaleque, Golam Mowla Roni, Zahidur Rahman, Bahrane Sultan Bahar, Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, Shahidul Islam, Mohammad Shafiullah Chowdhury, Mohammad Sayeed Khokon, Mohammad Saifuddin Milon and Shahin Khan. Bobby Hajjaj, Sarah Begum Kobori and Mustafa Jalal Azadi stood aside from the Mayoral race of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), reducing the number of Mayor candidates to 16. Annisul Huq, Abdullah Al Kafi, AYM Kamrul Islam, Kazi M Shahidullah, Chowdhury Irad Ahmed Siddiqui, Tabith Awal, Nader Chowdhury, Bahauddin Ahmed, Mahi B Chowdhury, Anisuzzaman Khokon, Zaman Bhuyian, Junaed Abdur Rahim Saki, Shamsul Alam Chowdhury, Moazzem Hossain Khan Mojlish, Sheikh Mohammad Fazle Bari Mas’ud and Sheikh Shahiduzzaman are finally contesting in the polls. Meanwhile, the SC dismissed Mintoo’s appeal against the cancellation of his nominations by the Election Commission (EC), putting out the last hope of the BNP leader to take part in the city corporation elections.He approached the court after being denied as a DNCC Mayor candidate by the Returning Officer and the Divisional Commissioner of Dhaka. The elections of the two city corporations of Dhaka is scheduled be held on April 28 along with Chittagong City Corporation polls.
