The January 30 election to two city corporations--Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC)--is expected to witness festivity and competition with candidates from almost all the important political parties participating. Alongside the ruling Awami League, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Jatiya Party, left leaning Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) and Gono Front, Islamist party Islami Andolon, NPP and PDP are also taking part in the election.
With the participation by all the parties, the electoral process has started to get a momentum. Meanwhile, the process of scrutinisation of nomination papers of the mayoral and ward councilors aspirants in the two city corporations of capital Dhaka is scheduled to be started today (Thursday).
Besides, all the mayoral and ward councilor candidates remain busy with their electoral activities, although the formal campaign will start from January 10. According to the Election Commission sources, the scrutinising process will start today morning at the EC’s Agargaon office of the Local Government Office building. If any fault is found in any of the nomination papers, candidates would get chance for the correction of appeal by January 5.
According to EC sources, a total of 1,039 aspirants have submitted their nomination papers for two mayoral, 129 general Wards councillors and 43 reserved councillors posts in two city corporations. Of them seven candidates will vie for the post of DNCC mayor, 374 candidates for 54 general ward councillors and 89 aspirants for 18 reserved seats while seven candidates for the DSCC mayoral post, 460 for 75 general ward councillors and 102 for 25 reserved seats.
Those who are contesting for the DNCC mayoral post are incumbent DNCC Mayor Md Atiqul Islam from ruling Awami League, Tabith Awal from BNP, GM Qamrul Islam from Jatiya Party, Ahmmed Sajedul Huq Rubel from CPB, Sheikh Mohammad Fazle Bari Masud from Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Md Anisur Rahman Dewan from NPP and Shahin Khan from PDP.
Besides, those who are contesting the DSCC mayoral election are Sheikh Fazle Nur Taposh from Awami League, Isharque Hossain from BNP, Mohammad Saifuddin Ahmed Milon from Jatiya Party, Md Abdur Rahman from Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Bahrane Sultan Bahar from NPP, Abdus Samad Sujan from Gono Front and Akter Uzzaman alias Ayat Ullah from Bangladesh Congress. The finalisation of candidature and symbol distribution will be on January 10 and the elections will be held on January 30.
