Second phase municipal polls
Four AL candidates set to be elected uncontested in local govt elections
The elections to 61 municipalities will be held in second phase municipal polls on 16 January. Tuesday was the last day for the candidates to withdraw their nomination papers. After the cancellation and withdrawal of nomination papers, ruling Awami League candidates are set to be elected as mayors in four municipalities.
In Tarab municipality of Rupganj upazila, Narayanganj, AL candidate Hasina Gazi is on the way to be elected uncontested as Islami Andolan Bangladesh candidate Abu Sayeed withdrew his candidature on Tuesday.
Hasina Gazi is the wife of Golam Dastagir Gazi, local lawmaker and also jute and textiles minister. The nomination paper of the BNP candidate of the municipality has been cancelled earlier.
AL candidate Habibur Rahman is set to be elected uncontested for the third time in a row. He was elected uncontested in 2010 and 2015 as well
AL candidate Abdul Hannan Talukder is set to be the mayor of Kazipur municipality in Sirajganj as BNP candidate Md Al Amin and independent candidate former mayor Md Abdus Salam withdrew their candidature on Tuesday.
In the elections to Bhangura municipality of Pabna, the candidature of BNP’s Abdul Kader was cancelled in an appeal hearing. This cleared the way for ruling party’s candidate Golam Hasnain, also current mayor, to be elected uncontested.
Returning officer and Pirojpur district election official Khan Abi Sahanur Khan cancelled the nomination papers of BNP mayoral candidate in Pirojpur municipality Sheikh Shahidullah and independent candidate SM Saidul Islam. As a result, AL candidate Habibur Rahman is set to be elected uncontested for the third time in a row. He was elected uncontested in 2010 and 2015 as well.
District election office sources said 13 mayor aspirants collected nomination papers. The candidatures of BNP’s Sheikh Shahidullah and independent candidate SM Saidul Rahman, who is the organisational secretary to district BNP, were cancelled. Sheikh Shahidullah’s nomination paper was cancelled on allegation of hiding information while SM Saidul Rahman’s candidature was cancelled as there was inaccuracy in adding signs of supporting voters with the nomination paper.