CCC aspirants warming up

Potential candidates in the upcoming Chittagong City Corporation election are busy lobbying for the support of both Awami League and BNP.
The Election Commission is set to hold the polls before the CCC’s tenure expires on June 25.
CCC Mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury, who had been elected to the post thrice, is the favourite to get backing of the ruling party in the election.
Chittagong Development Authority Chairman Abdus Salam, also president of Chittagong Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and AL leaders Rezaul Karim and AJM Nasiruddin are trying to get AL backing.
Mohiuddin, also Chittagong city unit AL president, expressed his desire to contest for the mayoral post for the fourth consecutive time.
But split and disputes in city AL might make it difficult for the incumbent mayor to fulfil his wish this time, said party insiders.
Lawmaker Nurul Islam said he is not willing to vie for the mayoral post resigning his membership of parliament.
But if the party wants him to vie for the mayoral post, he is ready to do it, said the lawmaker.
“Otherwise, I shall support and work for anyone the party backs for the mayoral post,” he said.
Nurul Islam said Abdus Salam is in a better position than others to get the ruling party’s backing.
BNP Vice-Chairman Abdullah Al Noman, city BNP Vice-President Dastagir Chowdhury, General Secretary Shahadat Hossain and BNP Chittagong north district unit President Giasuddin Quader Chowdhury are trying to get BNP’s backing to contest for the mayoral post.
BNP Chittagong city unit President Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury said he is not interested in contesting for the mayoral post this time.
Giasuddin may file nomination to run in the mayoral race, if senior leaders like Noman and Khosru don’t vie for the post, said a source in BNP.
Jatiya Party and Jamaat-e-Islami are likely to lend support separately to a few candidates in the CCC poll.
Meanwhile, Chittagong Divisional Deputy Election Commissioner SM Ezharul Haq said they are preparing a panel of 14,931 polling officials in line with the directive of the Election Commission secretariat.
He said they have already asked different government organisations and educational institutes to arrange officials for the panel.
The election schedule could be announced any time with at least 15-day gap between the polling date and the last date for withdrawal of nomination papers, he said.
A total of 674 polling centres would be set up. The number of voters is 16, 94,955 in the CCC, according to the voter list finalised on April 15, said District Election Officer Dulal Talukder.

Courtesy of The Daily Star