Azharul Islam

It was quite a surprise for everyone when TV channels yesterday broke the news that Gazipur city polls had been stayed for three months. 

The High Court stay order came at a time when Awami League and BNP leaders as well as the mayoral and councillor candidates of Khulna and Gazipur city corporation polls were busy campaigning.

After the HC delivered the order, all started looking for who was the writ petitioner. The man suddenly took the spotlight.

The petitioner is a ruling AL leader and also a union parishad chairman.

The Daily Star talked to ABM Azharul Islam Suruj, chairman of Shimulia Union Parishad in Savar, over phone after the court issued the order. 

Azharul, also Savar upazila unit AL's labour and manpower affairs secretary, said he yesterday filed the writ challenging the inclusion of six mouzas of Shimulia Union Parishad of Savar in Gazipur City Corporation (GCC). 

He had been elected chairman twice from the area. In 2016, he contested the union parishad polls with “boat” symbol and won the election and in 2011, he also won the election.

Talking to this correspondent, he said he was elected chairman with the votes of people of those six mouzas in both 2011 and 2016.

The six mouzas have been included in GCC, but all the services like issuance of trade licence and birth certificates take place from his union, he said.

He said he earlier filed writ petitions twice, but the petitions had been rejected.

Azharul's son-in-law is Gazipur city AL President Azmat Ullah Khan's son. Azmat wanted to be the AL mayoral candidate of Gazipur city polls, but he was not picked by the party.

Election to GCC was scheduled to be held on May 15.