Incumbent BNP backed Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) Mayor M Manjur Alam Manju resigned today and joined the next mayoral race for the port city.

He, accompanied by party high-ups including BNP Vice Chairman Abdulla Al Noman, brought the nomination from the district election commission office around 3:40pm to contest the CCC polls scheduled for April 28, reports our Chittagong correspondent.

After collecting the nomination paper from local election commission office, Nomam told reporters that people's anti-government sentiments will be reflected through the polls.

Manju submitted his resignation letter to Kaji Mohammad Shafiul Alam, Chief Executive Officer of the CCC around 3:30pm.

The Chittagong city BNP yesterday extended its support to Manju for the mayor polls to CCC. Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, president of the city unit, made the announcement following a meeting at his residence in the port city.

The mayoral polls for Chittagong and two halves of Dhaka cities will be held on April 28. Last date for filing nomination for mayor and councillor aspirants is March 29.

Though BNP, who earlier said would rather continue their move for a fresh national election, did not make any official stand on whether it would participate in the city corporation polls, its leaders are already starting to join in the race.