The returning officer in the elections to Sylhet City Corporation on Wednesday declared valid the nomination papers of five mayor aspirants — one from the ruling Awami League, four from opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party and one from Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami.
The nominations of the city Awami League president Badar Uddin Ahmad Kamran, also outgoing mayor, city BNP ex-president Ariful Haque Chowdhury and general secretary Abdul Kaiyum Jalali Panki, Swechchhasebak Dal district convener Shamsuzzaman Zaman and the detained city Jamaat amir Ehsanul Mahbub Jubair were declared valid.
The returning officer, SM Ezharul Haque, also the regional election commissioner, however, cancelled the nomination papers of to mayor aspirants — city BNP vice-president Nasim Hossain and Jatiyatabadi Juba Dal leader Salah Uddin Rimon.
Ezharul said that the nomination papers of Nasim and Salah Uddin were cancelled as they failed to produce required documents against their academic qualifications mentioned in the nomination forms.
Nasim claimed that the returning officer cancelled his nomination paper with an ill motive even after submitting all necessary documents.
He said that he would appeal to the Election Commission against the cancellation.
The scrutiny of the nomination papers of aspirants for reserved female commissioners and general ward commissioners will be completed today.
The aspirants may withdraw their candidatures by May 26 and election symbols will be allocated on May 27. The polling is scheduled for June 15.
-With New Age input
