The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Thousands of candidates for four city corporations and nine pourasava elections yesterday filed their nomination papers amid great enthusiasm and festive atmosphere.

Hundreds of workers, supporters and well-wishers accompanied the candidates braving the inclement weather.

However, because of the restrictions under the new election laws, no procession or fanfare were witnessed anywhere in the country except some stray incidents.

According to the election schedule announced by the Election Commission (EC) for local government polls, the last date for filing nomination papers was yesterday. Immediately after submitting the nomination papers the candidates started their election campaigns visiting door to door at different parts of the country.

Apart from Awami League and its allies, thousands of candidates belonging to BNP, Jamaat and other political parties filed nomination papers to contest the elections.

A total of 66 candiates filed nomination papers for mayoral posts and 916 for the posts of councilors yesterday for the forthcoming four city corporation elections.

Elections to the four city corporations-Barisal City Corporation, Rajshahi City Corporation, Khulna City Corporation and Sylhet City Corporation--are scheuled to be held on October 4.

Scrutiny of the nomination papers will be held on July 6 and 7 while the last date for withdrawal of candidature is July 13.

Our Barisal Correspondent reports: More than 225 candidates submitted nomination papers for the elections in 41 constituencies under the Barisal City Corporation yesterday.

A total of 227 candidates submitted nomination papers yesterday although 246 candiadtes earlier collected nomination papers to contest for 41 seats in Barisal City Corporation election scheduled to be held on August 4.

These 227 candidates are: 15 for mayoral posts, 180 for 30 general councilors posts in 30 wards and 32 female councilors for 10 reserved seats.

The candidates submitted their nomination papers till 5:00pm yesterday at the office of deputy election commissioner in Barisal city amid daylong heavy downpour.

Manirul Islam, returning officer of the BCC election, who is also the district election officer and deputy election commissioner in charge of Barisal division, said that he received nomination papers from 15 mayoral candidates including Adv Principal Enayet Pir Khan, president Nagorik Parishad and principal of Barisal Law College, Ebadul Huq Chan, director, FBCCI and president BCCI, former mayoral candidate and former district BNP secretary Ahsan Habib Kamal, former BNP leader, municipal chairman and Barisal City Corporation mayor in charge Shawkat Hossain Hiron, city AL convener Alamgir Hossain Alo, city AL joint convener Mahmudul Huq Khan Mamun, city Jubo League joint convener Rezaul Huq Harun, district AL joint convener Rafiqul Islam Gafur, district JP(Ershad) secretary Advocate Abul Kalam Azad, district CPB secretary Sharfuddin Ahmed Santu, PDP leader Advocate Kabiruddin Hannu, former JP leader and former ward commissioner Advocate Jahirul Huq, Syed Abdullah Sahid, former joint district judge Rafiqul Islam Russel, businessmen and Awlad Hossain Dilu, ward commissioner and Mayor in charge.

Some candidates submitted more than one set of nomination papers and so number of candidates may vary after the ending of scrutinizing the papers, the EC official said.

After filing nomination papers, it became clear that four major candidates--Ebaidul Huq Chan and Ahsan Habib Kamal, two belonging to the four-party alliance and Advocate Enayet Pir Khan and Shawkat Hossain Hiron, two belonging to the 14 party alliance found contesting the Mayoral post.

Earlier, 517 aspirant candidates including 32 for mayoral post, 444 for 30 general ward councilors and 41 for 10 female reserved ward councilor posts registered their names for participation in orientation programme on election rules and conducts.

Later 246 candidates including 17 for mayoral posts, 193 for general ward councilors and 36 for female reserve ward councilor posts collected nomination papers.

On behalf of detained BCC Mayor Majibor Rahman Sarwar, a nomination paper was also collected as aspirant mayor candidate to contest in Barisal City Corporation election. However, it was not subsequently filed as the our party alliance decided to boycott the local government elections.

Barisal City Corporation, comprising 45 square kilometers of area with 2,18,925 voters, has 30 general councilor seats and 10 reserved female councilor seats in 30 wards.

Our Rajshahi Correspondent reports: Eighteen mayoral candidates for the Rajshahi City Corporation election submitted theor nomination papers, according to the Deputy Election Commission office in the city.

The mayoral candidates included RCC Mayor-in-Charge Rezaunnabi Dudu, Workers Party leader Fazle Hossain Badsha, Awami League leaders Masudul Huq Dulu and AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, BNP leaders Advocate Enamul Huq and Mosaddeque Hossain Bulbul, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh leader Akhtaruzzaman Bablu, Jatiya Party leader Nurul Huda, 11-party leader Ruhul Quddus Tunu, PDP leader Advocate Abu Raihan Masud and independent Abdul Matin Khan.

Besides, 242 candiadtes submitted their nomination papers for the posts of 30 general councilors and 64 for the posts of councilors reserved for women.

Our Khulna Correspondent reports: Fifteen candidates filed nomination papers for the mayoral posts. They included present Mayor (in charge) Moniruzzaman Moni (BNP), former state minister and president of Khulna City Awami League Talukder Abdul Khaleque, Adv Firoze Ahmed (CPB), Abdul Gaffar Biswas (Jatiya Party) and Sharif Shafiqul Hamid Chandan (Kalyan Party).

Besides, 47 candiadtes submitted nomination papers for 10 reserve seats for women and 266 candidates submitted nomination papers for 31 posts of councilor.

A large number of candidates who proicured nomination papers earlier, were mostly from BNP did not file their nomination papers in the context of the party's decision of not taking part in the electiuon.

Our Sylhet Correspondent reports: Nineteen candidates filed nomination papers for the mayoral post, 221 candidates for general councilor posts and 49 for reserved posts fo women councilors in the Sylhet City Corporation election yesterday.

The mayoral candidates were Awami League leader Dewan Farid Gazi, Awami League leader Iftekhar Ahmed, incumbent mayor and AL leader Badruddin Ahmed Kamran, former pourashava chairman AFM Kamal, former district BNP president MA Huq, former upazila chairman Babul Hossain, Liberal Democratic Party leader Mukit Khan, City BNP general secretary Nasim Hossain and Mesbah Uddin Siraj.