After a gap of four days rebel mayoral candidate of ruling Awami League in upcoming Gazipur city corporation election Mohammed Jahangir Alam made his first public appearence on Sunday at Gazipur and declared the withdrawal of his candidacy from the electroal race amid tears. He also announced his support to Awami League led 14 party alliance candidate Advocate Azmot Ullah Khan through a press conference held at district Awami League office on Sunday afternoon.
“I consider Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as my mother and I have withdrawn my candidacy at her request,” he said.
Earlier, hundreds of his supporters and workers assembled in front of the gazipur AL office and many of them sat on the street to block Jahangir’s vehicle apparently in their last bid to desist him from withdrawing his candidacy. Many of them broke into tears when they heard that Jahangir was going to annoucne his withdrawal of candidacy from the race. At one stage activists of local AL and its frontal organisations dispersed the supporters from the street by force.
President of district Awami League and also chairman of the parliamentary standing committee for land ministry advocate A.K.M.Mozammel Haque MP, Zahid Ahsan Rasel MP, chairman of Gazipur district council Aktaruzzaman, chairman of Sreepur municipality Iqbal Hossain Sobuz, former president of Bangladesh Chhatra League Liakot Sikder and mayoral candidate advocate Azmot Ullah Khan were present in the press conference.
Jahangir Alam vowed to work for AL-led 14-party supported candidate Azmat Ali khan following the direction of the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Jahangir Alam said while withdrawing his candidacy and giving his support to Advocate Azmot Ullah Khan, we all should work for Advocate Azmot Ullah Khan, the Awami League backed candidate so that he wins the election. You all know that I was also a candidate in the election, but I withdrew my candidacy in favour of Awami League backed candidate.
I have placed some of my plans for development of citizens in this city corporation. I believe that if Azmot Ullah Khan wins the election, he will be able to implement these commitments.
He was seen very upset during the press conference.
Asked whether he withdrew himself from the race under pressure, he said, I love my party and want to follow the party’s direction.
-With The Independent input
