Staff Reporter :Speaker of the National Parliament Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury has refused to accept the resignation letter of mayor aspirant Haji Mohammad Selim, who is also an independent lawmaker of Dhaka-7 constituency. Selim’s Personal Assistant Mohiuddin Mahmud Belal said that the lawmaker [Haji Mohammad Selim] went to the Speaker’s office at Sangsad Bhaban on Tuesday to submit his resignation. “But the Speaker didn’t receive it,” he said.In a facebook status, posted at 1:00pm on Wednesday, Hazi Selim said: “I had tender my resignation on Tuesday to participate in the mayoral election in Dhaka South City Corporation [DSCC]. But the Speaker did not receive my resignation.”According to Representation of Public Order, it is obligatory to resign from parliament, if any lawmaker wants to take part in mayoral race of City Corporation. In this backdrop, Hazi Selim may quit mayoral race as the speaker did not accept his resignation. The speaker, however, told the media that she did not get any resignation letter from Haji Selim.Despite repeated attempts, Selim could not be reached over phone despite several attempts for his comments in this regard. Sources said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina called Selim at Gono Bhaban last night and discussed the city elections issues. She advised Selim not to run in the mayoral race as she had already announced the name of Sayeed Khokon for DSCC polls.Earlier on Tuesday, Selim, who is also Awami League’s Dhaka city unit joint general secretary, collected his nomination paper for mayoral election in DSCC.Meanwhile, a section in ruling party leaders has been showing huge interests in picking up Mohammad Selim as DSCC mayoral candidate. They already have expressed their opinion that the party should extend its support for Selim.Recently, Dhaka City AL leader and Relief and Disaster Management Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya in an open meeting said that the ruling party is yet to fix its candidates for DSCC and DNCC polls. Whereas, the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is also AL President, reportedly nominated Sayeed Khokan and Annisul Huq for DSCC and DNCC respectively. Some of the ministers, however, differed with the decision of nominating Syeed Khokan for DSCC mayoral post in Monday’s cabinet meeting presided over by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The ministers wanted the party to pick up Selim as DSCC mayoral candidate. If Selim was nominated, the possibility of winning the polls would certainly rise, they opined.City elections and candidacy were not included in the meeting agenda, but the issues were discussed among the members, said a minister. The ministers had no dissension over nominating Ansisul Haque as the Dhaka North City mayoral candidate. AL mayoral candidate for the DSCC Sayeed Khokon went to the residence of Hazi Selim on Sunday night. But Haji Selim was not at home that time. Sayeed Khokon, at that time, hoped that Haji Selim will support him in the election.But the scenario changed just within two days when Haji Selim collected nomination paper from the Election Commission office. Being agitated, Khokan complained to the EC that Selim has been flexing muscles to establish supremacy in the locality.
