Awami League nominated mayoral candidate Anwaruzzaman Chowdhury, along with over a hundred party leaders and activists, has submitted his nomination paper for the Sylhet City Corporation election.
He reached the returning officer's office premises around 12:30 pm on Tuesday noon and staged an apparent showdown there while submitting the nomination form.
However, the office of the returning officer notified the candidates that maximum five leaders and activists are allowed to accompany a candidate during the submission of nomination form. Also, there should be no showdown.
According to witnesses, more than a thousand leaders and activists of the ruling party and its associate organisations were present on the returning officer’s office premises around 12:30 pm when Anwaruzzaman Chowdhury went there.
Later, he along with more than a hundred partymen entered the office and submitted the paper.
Several prominent figures were present this time, including Sylhet district Awami League acting president Shafiqul Rahman Chowdhury, general secretary Nasiruddin Khan, city president Masuk Uddin Ahmad, general secretary Zakir Hossain, central organising secretary Shafiul Alam Chowdhury, central Swechhasebak League vice president Subrata Purkayastha, and others.
Later, Anwaruzzaman Chowdhury claimed to have flouted no rules. He claimed he went to submit the nomination paper along with Sylhet district Awami League president, city president, secretary, and a central leader. The others are councilor candidates and their supporters.
Returning officer Faisal Kadir came up with a similar remark and said councilor candidates and their supporters appeared in the office when the Awami League candidate went there to submit his nomination paper.
Earlier, an independent candidate, Abdul Hanif, submitted his nomination paper following the instruction. He told Prothom Alo that he was instructed not to be accompanied by more than five individuals. He followed the rules and submitted his paper accordingly. Mahmudul Hasan, candidate of Islami Andolon, also submitted his nomination paper on the day.
According to sources, six candidates have submitted their nomination papers for the mayoral position as of 1:30 pm on Tuesday. Three of them submitted their papers on Tuesday, while the remaining three submitted theirs on Monday.
Mahmudul Hasan, candidate of Islami Andolon, also submitted his nomination paper on the day.