Ehsanul Haque Jasim :
The ruling Awami League is managing the potential rebels to refrain from contesting the upcoming elections to the three city corporations, as the party wants to ensure the victory of its nominated candidates.
Meanwhile, although the BNP is still undecided about participating in the polls, the party is looking for candidates for the two corporations of Dhaka, while it finalised the mayor candidate in Chitttagong. Party insiders said that the BNP is searching suitable candidates, as it at last may join the polls race.
Prime Minister and AL President Sheikh Hasina has already declared the AL-backed mayor candidates, and she directed her party men to campaign for them. She warned that anyone who goes against the party’s decision would be dealt with tough actions.
Following the direction of Sheikh Hasina, some potential rebels have been removing from the polls race. Some of them have already said that they would work for the AL-backed candidate instead of contesting the polls. Some AL leaders removed their posters and billboards. Of them, Haji Selim MP, Kamal Ahmed Majumder MP and Ekhlas Uddin Mollah.
AL selected Anisul Huq, Sayeed Khokon and AZM Nasir Uddin for the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) respectively. AL’s Dhaka city unit acting president MA Aziz said that the city Awami League had already decided to work for the candidates the party president had selected for the mayoral race in the two city polls. Former Chittagong City mayor and city unit AL President ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury said he would campaign for Nasir.
Awami League has already formed “Election Coordination Committee” to work to unite the party men and file and make coordinated efforts to win all or majority posts in the three city corporations, said an AL leader.
On the other hand, BNP has primarily finalised the mayoral candidate in Chitttagong. The party is considering its Dhaka city unit chief Mirza Abbas for DSCC while businessman Abdul Awal Mintoo for DNCC, sources said.
The sources also said that BNP standing committee member ASM Hannan Shah, party’s finance secretary Abdus Salam will be nominated respectively, in case any of the primary selected candidates fails to participate. City unit joint convener MA Quayum is also lobbying for nomination in the mayoral candidacy for DNCC.
Meanwhile, detained BNP leader Nasir Uddin Ahmed Pintu has already collected nomination paper for DSCC. A lawyer collected the nomination paper on behalf of him on Monday. BNP city member secretary Habibun Nabi Khan Sohel could be another choice for South.
Our Chittagong Bureau adds that incumbent Mayor Manzoor Alam has been finalised for the Mayoral candidate in the coming mayor election. Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury and Abdullah al Noman welcomed the party decision for nominating the incumbent Mayor.
BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan said they are discussing about polls. But nothing has been finalised yet. They will come up in a decision soon, he said.
BNP Chairperson’s adviser Advocate Khandker Mahbub Hossain said that the BNP would take part in the city polls.
According to the polls schedule, the last date for filing nomination papers is March 29 while the papers will be scrutinised on April 1 and 2. The last date for withdrawal of nomination is April 9. Aspirants started collecting nomination forms on Thursday.
