AL, BNP finalise mayoral candidates for DNCC, DSCC polls

DNCC mayoral candidates Atiqul Islam and Tabith Awal. Prothom Alo File Photo

DNCC mayoral candidates Atiqul Islam and Tabith Awal. Prothom Alo File Photo

Ruling Bangladesh Awami League and opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) have announced the names of their mayoral candidates for the upcoming elections to Dhaka north and south city corporations, to be held on 30 January.AL has chosen incumbent DNCC mayor Atiqul Islam as the party’s candidate in the polls while the BNP has chosen Tabith Awal, the party’s executive committee member.

Tabith fought against former DNCC mayor Annisul Huq in 2015 but boycotted it on the election day alleging that the polls were rigged.

On the other hand, Awami League has nominated MP Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh as their mayoral candidate for the Dhaka south city corporation. The BNP has given nomination to Ishraque Hossain, son of former mayor of undivided Dhaka City Corporation Sadeque Hossain Khoka, as their mayoral candidate for DSCC.

DSCC mayoral candidates Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh and Ishraque Hossain. Prothom Alo File PhotoFazle Noor Taposh, an MP of Dhaka-10 constituency, is the younger brother of Sheikh Fazle Shams Parash, who was recently made the chairman of Bangladesh Awami Jubo League, the youth wing of the ruling party.

AL general secretary Obaidul Quader, also road transport and bridges minister announced the names of the party’s candidates in a media briefing on Sunday.

Earlier on Saturday, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the names of his party’s candidates for the polls saying they have selected the candidates based on their popularity among youth.

The election commission said elections to two Dhaka city corporations will be held in EVM (election voting machine).