The ruling party has picked Jahangir Alam, a fresher, for Gazipur, but kept trust in former mayor Talukder Abdul Khalek, who lost the last polls in Khulna city in 2013.
The party’s Local Government Nomination Board finalised the candidates for the May 15 polls at a meeting chaired by their chief Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the Ganabhaan on Sunday night.
General Secretary Obaidul Quader briefed the media about the party decisions on candidates who would fight the elections with boat symbol. Hasina talked to local leaders from the two cities following the meeting.
In Gazipur, the Awami League had nominated Azmat Ullah Khan in the last polls.
Jahangir also contested in the election, going against party decision, but did not campaign for himself.The BNP candidate, MA Mannan, won the elections in Gazipur.
Khalek, who had been the mayor of Khulna for one term, lost to the BNP’s Moniruzzaman Moni in the last polls.
Quader said they thought about the possible BNP candidates while picking up candidates for the ruling party.
“We‘ve picked such candidates who can win the polls this time,” he said.
Khalek is currently the Member of Parliament from Bagerhat 3 or Mongla seat now.
Quader said Khalek would resign as MP to contest in the civic polls as per the rules.
Former Bangladesh Chhatra League leader Jahangir is the general secretary of the ruling party’s Gazipur Metropolitan unit.
Hasina sat with him and Azmat when he decided to contest as a rebel candidate in the last elections.
The party then said Jahangir agreed to support Azmat. His name remained on the ballot papers as the deadline to withdraw nominations had already ended. He received around 3,000 votes in the polls.Gazipur with over 1.16 million voters consists of 57 general wards and 19 wards reserved for women.
Dhaka’s Regional Election Officer Rakibuddin Mondol is the returning officer in the election to the Gazipur City Corporation.
The number of voters in Khulna is around half a million. It has 31 general wards and 10 reserved for women. Khulna Regional Election officer Md Yunus Ali will work as the returning officer in the Khulna civic polls.
The upcoming civic elections are being seen as very significant in the country’s politics as these are being held ahead of the general elections.
Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda earlier said they wanted to hold elections to five city corporations – Gazipur, Khulna, Sylhet, Rajshahi and Barishal – before the general elections.
Source: Bdnews24.