UNB, Narayanganj :
SM Akram, a former Awami League MP and current Nagorik Oikya adviser, will contest the Narayanganj-5 by-polls slated for June 26.
Akram, who quit the post of district Awami League convenor over his disagreement with the party high-ups during the Narayanganj City Corporation polls,
announced his candidature at a press conference at Narayanganj Press Club at noon.
The parliamentary seat fell vacant following the death of Jatiya Party MP Nasim Osman, who had been elected unopposed in the January-5 election. Nasim Osman died at a hospital in India on April 30 at the age of 65.
Addressing the press conference, Akram said, “I was an MP from this constituency. I’ve decided to run the by-polls at the request of my followers.”
Mentioning that he has a wider acceptability to people, the former MP said, “The people of Narayanganj want to see me as their MP. I hope, I’ll win with the votes BNP supporters and that of other parties alongside Awami League ones.”
Akram, who was elected MP in 1996 with AL ticket, said the ruling party leaders and activists will cast their votes in favour of him as Awami League has decided not to nominate any candidate for the by-polls.
“The BNP supporters won’t cast their votes for Awami League or Jatiya Party candidates if the party boycotts the by-polls. They’ll vote for me,” the former bureaucrat said.
After the press conference, Akram collected his nomination paper from the district election office to contest the by-polls.
Meanwhile, Krishak Sramik Janata League Narayanganj district unit organising secretary Abu Bakar Siddique bought nomination paper for its president Abdul Kader Siddiqui to contest the by-polls.
