Old faces to run for posts in most places

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Many known grassroots level leaders of major political parties including Awami League (AL) and BNP intend to run for the offices of mayors in the August 4 polls to four city corporations.

But disputes have arisen in both AL and BNP over nominating single partisan candidates for the mayoral posts in four city corporations as multiple members of both parties filed for candidacies.

The new electoral law and the code of conduct for local government electioneering however stipulate that the polls are absolutely non-partisan, while banning use of candidates’ political affiliations, names of the parties they are affiliated with, and any name of any political leader in election campaigns.

Meanwhile, AL is trying to convince both its grassroots and central leaders to nominate one candidate for each of the mayoral posts, while grassroots level leaders of BNP are trying to finalise the nominations for at least two city corporations’ mayoral races, sources said.

Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain of the BNP faction loyal to its detained Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday said BNP-led four-party alliance will not contest in the local government polls and will take disciplinary actions against party leaders who will contest in the polls.

Most of the grassroots level leaders of BNP other than leaders of its Khulna unit however want to contest in the polls and already submitted applications for candidacies.

Local BNP leaders want to finalise the nomination for Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) mayoral race before the July 13 deadline for withdrawal of candidacies, reported our Rajshahi correspondent.

BNP leader also Acting RCC Mayor Rejaunnabi Dudu, former district BNP general secretary Enamul Haque, former lawmaker Jahan Panna and city Jubo Dal president Mosaddek Hossain Bulbul submitted their nomination papers at the RCC poll.

The local BNP and its coalition partners is likely to hold a meeting soon to finalise a single candidate among the four, sources said.

On the other hand, the AL is facing severe problem to finalise candidate for the RCC as in one hand the party has its own candidate AHM Khairuzzaman Liton who has most of the support from the party workers and other hand there is Workers’ Party politburo member Fazle Hosain Badsha on behalf of the AL-led 14-party who contested in the last RCC poll and bagged a handsome amount of votes. Besides Rajshahi city AL president Maksudul Haque Dulu also submitted nominations there.

Under this circumstance, AL wants to finalise its candidacy keeping the 14-party coalition united and for this regard the party might nominate Badsha, said a key-AL leader. On the other hand, Liton is also trying hectically to get the nomination this time on the ground that there is more than one lakh votes of AL that he expect to bag.

“We will finalise our candidacy based on the reality and the recommendations of the grassroots level leaders so that we can extend party’s full-fledged support to the candidate to ensure victory,” said a Presidium member of the AL on condition of anonymity. The AL leader said they want to see the 14-party’s interests.

“I believe our party leaders and workers have their mind to sacrifice. The grassroots level leaders want the 14-party be united,” said the leader without specifying the name of Badsha.

In Khulna, Nineteen persons belonging to BNP and its different front organisations filed their nomination papers rejecting the party decision to boycott the poll, our Staff Correspondent Khulna reports.

Leader of Khulna BNP and acting Mayor of KCC Moniruzzaman Moni filed his nomination paper to contest for the post of Mayor although the city unit BNP boycotted the poll.

Although the AL central and Khulna city unit extended supports to its City unit President Talukder Abdul Khaleque, AL leaders including city General Secretary Mizanur Rahman, Adv Sheikh Enayet Ali and Mallick Abid Hossain Kabir filed nomination.

In Sylhet all the sitting commissioners, most of them are BNP leaders who had contested in the last SCC polls have filed nomination papers to run this time also. But along with many new ones, there are faces including some having criminal records, our Staff Correspondent Sylhet reports.

In Sylhet, AL central committee wants to nominate detained mayor Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran. But in the case if he could not run for the poll, AL might choose Dewan Farid Gazi. Kamran’s son Arman Ahmed Shiplu, filed Kamran’s nomination paper.

Leader of BNP would sit soon to finalise a single mayoral candidate here, sources said adding that former district BNP President MA Haque who was defeated by Kamran in first SCC poll in 2003, might be selected again.

BNP leaders AFM Kamal, Inamul Haque Chowdhury and Nasim Hossain also filed nomination for the mayoral posts.

Besides Kamran and Farid, AL leaders Abduj Jahir Chowdhury Sufian, Misbah Uddin Siraj, Iftekhar Hossain Shamim, among others also submitted nomination forms.

Although both the AL central and Barisal city unit prefer convener of City AL Shawkat Hossain Hiron, city AL leaders Rejaul Haque Harun, Alamgir Hossain Alo, Masudul Haque Khan submitted their nomination, reports our Barisal correspondent.

BNP leaders Ahsan Habib Kamal, Ebaidul Haque Chan and Acting mayor Awlad Hossain Dilu submitted their application forms. Sources said a group of central leaders of BNP came to Barisal to discuss with the grassroots level leaders to know who has good image among the candidates. Sources said the BNP might extend its support to Kamal.

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