Mirza Abbas yesterday joined the mayoral race in Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) as his lawyer collected the nomination paper on behalf of the heavyweight BNP leader, apparently in hiding to avoid arrest.

In a move dubbed as "part of a strategy," a number of other BNP leaders have also collected nomination papers to contest the DSCC mayoral election.

"If BNP Standing Committee Member Mirza Abbas is disqualified from running for mayor, its Finance Affairs Secretary MA Salam, who bought the nomination paper on Wednesday, will contest the polls," a BNP leader told this newspaper yesterday.

Party insiders said a BNP delegation will meet the Election Commission in a day or two and raise some demands, including release of its leaders to create "a level-playing field" for all candidates.

"Although the BNP has decided to back its candidates in the three city elections [in Dhaka and Chittagong], we have plans to boycott the polls if the Election Commission fails to ensure a congenial atmosphere for us," a senior BNP leader said.

"There's no doubt that we want to contest the elections. But … many of our prospective candidates have not got bails yet and many are still hiding fearing arrest … The government has to ensure equal opportunities for all sides," BNP Standing Committee Member Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman said.

Nazrul Islam Khan, another member of the BNP's highest policy forum, told the BBC Bangla last night if the party feels that the polls will be free and fair, then it will support one candidate in each of the three city corporations. "And others will withdraw their nomination papers."

Apart from Abbas and MA Salam, BNP's International Affairs Secretary Asaduzzaman Ripon; Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu, assistant organising secretary of the party's city unit; and pro-BNP teachers' leader Selim Bhuiyan bought nomination papers in the last two days for the DSCC mayoral polls.

Abbas is facing at least 73 cases, most of which were allegedly filed on political grounds, and has been in hiding for some time now, fearing arrest.

In Dhaka North, the BNP has already lent support to businessman Abdul Awal Mintoo, also an adviser to BNP chief Khaleda Zia, for the mayoral polls scheduled for April 28.

However, some BNP leaders want that the party should back Mahi B Chowdhury, joint secretary general of Bikolpodhaka Bangladesh and son of former BNP leader AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury, if Mintoo cannot contest the election, a source close to Khaleda Zia told this paper.

Key ally Jamaat-e-Islami has assured the BNP of providing "all-out support" to the BNP-blessed candidates in all three city corporations as it will not contest in the mayoral races. However, Jamaat-backed people will contend for some councillor posts, according to BNP insiders.

MANJUR QUITS, COLLECTS NOMINATION FORM
In Chittagong, M Manjur Alam yesterday resigned from the post of city mayor, a day after the local BNP announced to support him as its mayoral candidate in the city polls.

Manjur, an adviser to Khaleda Zia, submitted his resignation to Kaji Mohammad Shafiul Alam, chief executive officer of Chittagong City Corporation, around 3:30pm and then collected the nomination paper.

As per electoral laws, an incumbent mayor has to resign before taking part in fresh mayoral polls.
Senior BNP leader Abdullah Al Noman, who accompanied Manjur when he bought the nomination paper, told the press that people would vent their frustration and anger, which arose as they could not exercise their franchise in the last national elections, through ballots this time and make Manjur winner by a wide margin.

Manjur said he would submit the nomination on March 29, the last date for filing nomination for the polls.

'KHALEDA POSITIVE'
Pro-BNP professionals led by Prof Emajuddin Ahmed met Khaleda Zia last night at her Gulshan office.
Emerging from there, Emajuddin said, the party will contest the elections if a "level-playing field" is ensured. "The BNP chairperson is waiting to see the steps the government and the Election Commission take to create a congenial atmosphere."

"We had discussions with Khaleda Zia about the upcoming city polls. The BNP is positive about taking part in the polls, but it is yet to finalise its candidates for Dhaka city corporations," UNB quoted the former VC of Dhaka University as saying.

The professionals under the banner of "Shoto Nagorik" entered Khaleda's office around 6:30pm and stayed there for around two hours. Supreme Court Bar Association president Khandaker Mahbub Hossain, ex-DU teacher Mahbub Ullah, former DU Pro-VC AFM Yusuf Haider and journalist Mahfuz Ullah were, among others, present at the meeting.