Rezaul gets AL ticket to run for Chattogram mayor, Mohiuddin for Dhaka-10 MP

The Awami League has nominated its local leader Rezaul Karim Chowdhury to run for the office of Chattogram mayor, ending AJM Nasir Uddin’s hopes for reelection on the ruling party ticket.

Rezaul is a joint secretary of the party’s Chattogram Metropolitan unit, of which Nasir is general secretary.

For the contest in the by-elections to Dhaka-10 parliamentary seat, the party has chosen business leader Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin in another blow to outgoing Dhaka South Mayor Mohammad Sayeed Khokon.

Party chief Sheikh Hasina had ended Khokon’s reelection aspirations by choosing Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, who had resigned as the MP of the constituency to succeed Khokon at the city corporation.

Mohiuddin is a readymade garment entrepreneur who had served as president of the top trade lobby FBCCI after heading the apparel exporter’s group BGMEA.

Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader announced the decisions after a meeting of the party’s parliamentary and local government elections nomination board at Hasina’s official residence the Ganabhaban in Dhaka on Saturday, bdnews24.com reported.

Besides Dhaka-10, the Awami League has finalised its candidates for by-elections to four parliamentary constituencies vacated after deaths of the MPs.

Central Working Committee member Amirul Alam Milon is contesting for the Bagerhat-4 seat, Krishak League general secretary Umme Kulsum Smriti for Gaibandha-3, district unit president Shaheen Chaklader for Jashore-6 and late MP Abdul Mannan’s wife Shahdara Mannan for Bogura-1.

The by-polls to the Dhaka, Bagerhat and Gaibandha seats will be held on March 21.

The deadline for nomination submission is February 19. The scrutiny of nominations will end on February 23 while the last date for withdrawing candidature is February 29.

The Election Commission is expected to announce the schedule of the by-elections to the two other parliamentary constituencies along with the Chattogram City Corporation polls on Sunday.

Nasir, who had been elected mayor in the 2015 city corporation elections, held a rally against terrorism, militancy and drugs recently in a show of strength ahead of the nomination.

He was praised for his efforts over one or two issues, but criticisms over disputes with local leaders and the waterlogging problem have overshadowed his achievements.

Freedom fighter Rezaul, a former leader of Bangladesh Chhatra League, is a member of the influential Bahaddar family at Bahaddarhat in the city.

In an immediate reaction to the party decision on his nomination, he told the news agency that he was grateful to Hasina and the people of the city for valuing the role he played in his political career.

He claimed himself to be a follower of the late mayor and Chattogram Awami League chief ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury, whose bitter rivalry with Nasir continued to make headlines even after his death.

“I will try my best if I am elected mayor,” Rezaul said.