AL picks Atiqul for DNCC mayoral by-poll

The ruling Awami League on Saturday picked businessman Atiqul Islam as the mayoral candidate for Dhaka North City Corporation by-election and Syeda Zakia Noor Lipi for re-election in Kishoreganj 1 constituency.
Syeda Zakia Noor Lipi is the sister of late former Awami League general secretary and public administration minister Syed Ashraful Islam. 
The nominations were finalised at the meeting of Local government nomination board and Parliamentary board held at Ganabhaban, the official residence of the prime minster Sheikh Hasina, who also chaired the meetings.
After the meeting, general secretary Obadul Quader announced the names of the party candidates at a press briefing.
On January 22, the Election Commission decided to hold the mayoral by-election to Dhaka North city and re-election to Kishoreganj 1 parliamentary constituency on February 28. 
The EC also decided to hold on February 28, elections to councillors and reserved woman councillors for 36 wards incorporated into Dhaka north and south city corporations.
The re-election to Kishoreganj 1 parliamentary constituency became a necessity following the death of Syed Ashraful Islam right before taking oath at the 11th parliament.
Syed Ashraful Islam died an untimely death at a Bangkok hospital on January 3 at the age of 67 after a long battle with cancer. 
The commission set January 31 as the deadline for filing of nomination papers, February 3 for scrutiny of nominations and February 10 as the deadline for withdrawal of candidature for the Kishorganj re-election, he said.
For the elections in Dhaka north and south cities, the commission set January 30 as the deadline for submission of nominations, February 2 for scrutiny and February 9 for the deadline for withdrawal of nominations.
On January 17, the High Court allowed the commission to go ahead with holding Dhaka north city mayoral by-election.
The by-election became due following the death of mayor Annisul Haq in November 2017.
After hearing the writ petitions of two mayor aspirants, the High Court on January 17, 2018 stayed the mayoral by-election scheduled for January 26, 2018.
The writ petitions were filed by mayor aspirants Ataur Rahman and Md Jahangir Alam, both chairmen of separate union parishads.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net