Atiqul AL's mayor candidate for DNCC

Atiqul Islam, former president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, has got the ruling Awami League's ticket to contest the mayoral race in Dhaka North City Corporation.

In another development, Dr Syeda Zakia Nur, daughter of Syed Nazrul Islam, the first acting president of the country, got the AL nomination for Kishoreganj-1.

Both elections are scheduled for February 28.

The AL Parliamentary Board made the decision at a meeting at the Gono Bhaban last night, with party chief Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

Party General Secretary Obaidul Quader later briefed the media about the outcome of the meeting.

Kishoreganj-1 seat fell vacant after veteran AL lawmaker Syed Ashraful Islam, also former public administration minister, died on January 3, just three days after the election. 

The DNCC mayoral post fell vacant following the death of Annisul Huq on November 30, 2017.

On January 9 last year, the EC had declared the schedule of the DNCC by-polls and elections to the new wards, setting February 26 for voting.

The polls were not held as the High Court stayed the election schedule for six months. On January 16 this year, the HC cleared the way for holding the polls.

Announcing the names, Quader said, they earlier selected Atiqul for the DNCC by-polls, but the polls were not held.

“But he continued his work even after the polls were postponed. Considering his work, we selected him again,” he added.

Ten aspirants collected AL nomination forms for DNCC by-polls and eight for Kishoreganj-1 by-election.