Awami League expels ex-Gazipur mayor Jahangir Alam

Awami League has permanently expelled Gazipur’s former mayor Jahangir Alam from the party.

A statement issued from AL office on Monday said the party decided to permanently suspend former general secretary of Gazipur Awami League as per the party constitution. The decision would be effective immediately.

Earlier on Sunday, the party decided to expel Jahangir ‘permanently’ at a meeting of the presidium.

Failing to get AL nomination for mayoral post in Gazipur City Corporation election, Jahangir submitted nomination as an independent candidate but his nomination was cancelled later. However, Jahangir’s mother Jayeda Khatun is competing as an independent candidate. Jahangir is campaigning for her.

Sources at the AL’s presidium said the leaders in the meeting mentioned that Jahangir was earlier expelled from the party for making controversial remarks about Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and number of the martyres in the liberation war.  

His expulsion order was later withdrawn as he had apologized. Jahangir again violated party discipline by submitting nomination form as independent candidate after failing to get party’s nomination.

He also fielded candidature of his mother.  Jahangir is now campaigning for his mother and even speaking against Awami League. Earlier in 2013, Jahangir run the mayoral election as independent candidate defying the party’s decision.

At one point, all the presidium members have reached a consensus about taking disciplinary action against Jahangir. The meeting decided that party’s general secretary Obaidul Quader would convey the decision of the presidium members in writing to the party president Sheikh Hasina. The meeting decided Jahangir would be expelled from the party permanently.

AL sources said the Obaidul Quader today informed prime minister Sheikh Hasina about the suggestion of the presidium committee regarding Jahangir. She gave consent on the decision.

Voting in Gazipur city corporation would be held on 25 May. AL has nominated Azmat Ullah Khan as its candidate in the mayor post.

Asked about the decision of the presidium meeting before the expulsion, Jahangir told Prothom Alo, “I’ve come to know about the decision through news in different media. I was not informed of the issue through any media and no one else informed me of the decision.”

Jahangir also told Prothom Alo that he would remain in the electoral race till the end since his mother is contesting in the polls.