BSS-40 Atiqul gets AL ticket for DNCC mayoral by-polls, Zakia in Kishoreganj-1 JS elections

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Atiqul gets AL ticket for DNCC mayoral by-polls, Zakia in
Kishoreganj-1 JS elections

DHAKA, Jan 26, 2019 (BSS) – Bangladesh Awami League (AL) today nominated Atiqul Islam, a former president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), to contest the mayoral by-polls to Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) slated for February 28.

The ruling party also picked Syed Zakia Noor, younger sister of former Public Administration Minister and ex-AL general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam, to contest the Jatiya Sangsad election to the Kishoreganj-1 constituency to be held the same day.

The nominations were finalized at a joint meeting of the AL Local Government Election Nomination Board and Parliamentary Board held at Ganabhaban, the official residence of the Prime Minister, tonight.

AL Local Government Election Nomination Board and Parliamentary Board Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina chaired the meeting.

“The meeting unanimously nominated Atiqul Islam and Syed Zakia Noor for contesting the mayoral by-polls to Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Kishoreganj-1 Jatiya Sangsad election respectively, ” Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader told a press briefing after the meeting.

A total of 10 party aspirants collected nomination forms to contest the by-polls to the DNCC, while seven aspirants collected nomination forms for Kishoreganj-1 JS election, he said.

Quader said the AL Local Government Nomination Board also picked mayoral candidates for three pourasabhas and chairmen candidates for 29 union parishads across the country.

Matiar Rahaman, the incumbent mayor of Amtali Pourasabha in Barguna, Kazi Alamin, acting general secretary of Patuakhali district, and Ashraful Alam, AL organising secretary of Kaliganj upazila in Jhenidah, have been picked as mayoral candidates for the respective pourasabhas.

The DNCC mayoral post fell vacant following the death of Annisul Huq on November 30 in 2017.

Election Commission (EC) Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed announced the election schedule of the by-polls to Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) mayoral post at a press conference after the 43rd meeting of the Commission at Nirbachan Bhaban on January 21.

Elections to the councillor and reserved councillor posts in the newly extended 36 wards in DNCC and 18 wards under Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) will be held on the same day.

As per the schedule, the last date of submission of nomination papers is January 30 next and the scrutiny of nomination papers will be held on February 2. The deadline for withdrawal of candidature is February 9.

Elections to the DNCC and DSCC were held on April 28, 2015. But, the mayoral post of the DNCC remains vacant since DNCC mayor Annisul Huq died on November 30 in 2017.

On January 9, 2018, the Commission announced the election schedule for holding the by-polls to the DNCC mayoral post on February 26 on the same year. But, the election was postponed following a High Court order on a writ petition over boundary demarcation.

On January 16 this year, the High Court cleared the way for holding election to the city corporation mayoral post and polls in the 36 new wards under the two city corporations.

The election to the Kishoreganj-1 constituency will be held on February 28.

Election Commission (EC) Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed announced the election schedule at a press conference after a meeting of the Commission at Nirbachan Bhaban on January 22.

As per the polls schedule, the last date of nomination papers submission is January 31 while the scrutiny of nomination papers will be held on February 3. The deadline for withdrawal of candidature is February 10.

The EC Secretary said the election will be considered as the general election since newly elected Member of Parliament (MP) from the seat Syed Ashraful Islam died before taking oath.

Syed Ashraf died on January 3, on the day when other MPs elected in the 11th general elections took oath.

He was also MP in the 10th parliament and the Public Administration Minister.

BSS/SH/KU/2145 HRS