The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

In the wake of deep internal discords in the Awami League-led 14-party coalition over the nomination of mayoral candidate in Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) polls, Fazle Hossain Badsha yesterday withdrew from the race.

Now, AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, general secretary of Rajshahi City Awami League, is the 14-party nominated candidate.

Badsha, a politburo member of the Awami League ally Workers Party, quit the race on the last day of candidacy withdrawal. He got the 14-party approval although other partners of the coalition extended their support to Rajshahi City unit Awami League general secretary AHM Khairuzzaman Liton openly, creating a deep division among the partners in the coalition.

Though Badsha got the formal nomination from the AL-led 14-party coalition, Liton had been showing strong reluctance to withdraw his candidacy over the last several days. Both Badsha and Liton had been criticizing each other over the last couple of days. But, Badsha's position became weakened when all the local units of allies in the 14-party coalition, except Workers Party extended their support to Liton strengthening his position and boosting his morale for the mayoral candidate in the RCC elections.

Our Rajshahi Correspondent Shamsun Naher reports: The Rajshahi City Unit of 14-party combine leaders held a meeting to break the stalemate that arose from giving Badsha the mayoral ticket as Liton also wanted to run for the post. After the meeting, Badsha formally announced withdrawal of his candidacy at a press conference held at local Public Library Auditorium in the afternoon.

"Central leaders of the 14-party alliance nominated me as a mayoral candidate, but for the sake of greater unity among the pro-democratic and non-communal forces and to uphold the spirit of the War of Liberation, I withdraw my nomination as mayoral candidate," announced Badsha, who was looking very pale and upset.

He further said that central leaders of the 14-party alliance had nominated him as a mayoral candidate, but their decision could not be implemented in Rajshahi. "That is why I'm withdrawing my candidacy as RCC mayoral candidate," he said.

Badsha, however, declined to comment when he was asked whether he would contest in the next general elections.

When asked whether the withdrawal of his candidacy would intensify the rift among the allies of 14-party coalition, he said it was unlikely that such a situation would arise.

Even if any such situation occurs, the 14-party leaders will solve those problems centrally.

AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, who was waiting outside the conference room, said he was happy at the 'amicable settlement' of the matter. He also expressed the hope that all would work unitedly for him forgetting all the past differences and rivalries.

On the other hand, our Khulna Correspondent Nasima Muneer reports: Six candidates including a BNP leader are still in race for mayor after withdrawal of candidacy on the last day yesterday.

The Election Commission sources said five mayoral and 39 counselor candidates withdrew their candidacy yesterday. Five mayoral candidates who withdrew their nomination papers were Abdul Gaffar Biswas of Jatiya Party, Mallick Abid Hasan of Awami League, Amzad Khan Majlish of PDP, Sharif Shafiqul Hamid Chandan and Monirul Islam, an independent candidate.

Those who remain in the race for mayoral post are AL Khulna City president and former state minister Talukder Abdul Khaleque, BNP leader and acting mayor Moniruzzaman Moni, AL leader Adv Enayet Ali Shana, CPB leader Adv Firoze Ahmed, Muslim League leader Adv Moslem Uddin Ahmed, and independent candidate Sheikh Tayebur Rahman. Khulna City BNP leader and acting mayor Moniruzzaman Moni is determined to contest for the mayoral post although the BNP-led four-party alliance has boycotted the polls.

Our Barisal Correspondent reports: The Election Commission sources said nomination papers of three mayoral and twenty-two ward councilor candidates of Barisal City Corporation election were withdrawn.

Alamgir Hossain Khan Alo, district AL joint secretary and Mahmudul Huq Khan Mamun, city Jubo League joint convener, withdrew their nomination papers for mayor post in support of Advocate Shawkat Hossain Hiron, the 14-alliance nominated mayoral candidate.

Awlad Hossain Dilu, present ward commissioner and mayor in charge, also withdrew his nomination paper saying that he wanted to take farewell from the post of mayor (in charge) with honour and dignity. He said he was also not hopeful about free and fair election in the wake of certain pressures and boycott the polls by any major political group.

Manirul Islam, deputy election commissioner and returning officer of BCC election said that with this figures number of valid candidates of BCC election stand on 206 including 10 for Mayor post, 40 for ten served seats and 156 for 30 ward councilor seats.

Earlier total 245 candidates including 14 candidates for Mayor, 189 for 30 general ward councilors and 42 for reserved female seats had submitted nomination papers.

Now valid mayor candidates of BCC stands up to 10 including Advocate Principal Enayet Pir Khan, Nagorik Parishad president and Barisal Law College principal, Ebaidul Huq Chan, director FBCCI and president BCCI and former mayor candidate and former district BNP secretary, Ahsan Habib Kamal, former BNP leader, municipal chairman and BCC mayor in charge, Shawkat Hossain Hiron, city AL convener and 14 party alliance nominated candidate, 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 and Rafikul Islam Russel, businessmen.

Besides thirteen councilor candidates including Abbasuddin of ward no.1, Siddikur Rahman and Abul Hossain Biswas of ward no. 2, Md. Shamim of ward no.3, Habibur Rahman Tipu of ward no.6, Nazrul Islam and Maksudur Rahman of ward no.9, M A Zamal, Syed Khorshed Anwar and Mahmudul Karim Chowdhury of ward no. 10, Shahidul Islam of ward no.12, Siddikur Rahman and Md. Yunus of ward.15, Anwar Hossain of ward no. 17, Zakir Hossain and Sardar Enayet Hossain of ward no.23 and Md.

Zakir Hossain Mithu of ward no.24, Biddut Karmakar of ward no. 25 , Zahidur Rahman of ward no.30 and Rosina Akter of reserved seat no.3 have withdrawn their nomination papers.

Our Sylhet Correspondent reports:

14-party coalition has five candidates while four-party alliance has three candidates in the SCC mayoral race.

Even though 14-party formally endorsed detained SCC Mayor Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran, AL leaders Inamul Haque Chowdhury Bir Pratik and Babrul Hossain Babul are determined to contest the election. They said they would not withdraw their candidacy.

City AL Secretary Misbah Uddin Siraj and district AL Vice-president Abduj Jahir Chowdhury Sufian withdrew their candidacy yesterday.

Neither local BNP nor four-party coalition held any meeting so far about who would run for mayor from their camp.

Former district BNP president MA Haque, defeated by Kamran in the first SCC polls in 2003, and BNP leader AFM Kamal, running in this election under the banner of Sammilita Nagorik Committee, did not withdraw their candidacy.

City BNP General Secretary Nasim Hossain said he would withdrew his candidacy .