NCC polls-2016
BNP chooses Sakhawat
The BNP has finally chosen Advocate Sakhawat Hossain Khan, a former president of the Narayanganj District Bar Association, as its mayoral candidate for the forthcoming Narayanganj City Corporation election, scheduled to be held on December 22. The BNP senior joint secretary general, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, announced the name of Sakhawat at a press conference at the Naya Paltan party headquarters yesterday (Tuesday).
BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia approved the nomination of Sakhawat at a meeting with Narayanganj district and city BNP leaders at her Gulshan office on Monday night.
After a three-hour meeting that continued till midnight, party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir had told reporters that the name of the candidate would be announced on Tuesday evening, but it was announced in the morning.
Sakhawat is known to be a pro-BNP lawyer, but does not hold any portfolio in the party. He is also the lawyer of two plaintiffs in the much-talked-about seven-murder case in Narayanganj. The BNPs mayoral candidate said he wants free, fair and acceptable polls, by which people will get back their democratic rights.
Talking to The Independent, Sakhawat demanded deployment of the Army to hold the polls in a free and fair manner to allow voters to cast their ballots without any interruption. He said measures should be taken to deposit legal arms and ammunition, recover illegal arms and withdraw politically motivated officials from the administration.
The BNP candidate accused the ruling party candidate of violating the election code of conduct by enjoying mayoral facilities and using the circuit house and district council office. He demanded steps to monitor violation of the election code of conduct. He said he would collect his nomination papers today (Wednesday) and submit it tomorrow (Thursday).
The district BNP president, Advocate Taimur Alam Khandker, was the candidate of choice of the party high command, but he declined to contest the election.
Later, Sakhawat was chosen after discussion with Narayanganj BNP leaders during the marathon meeting, according to party insiders. Khandker was nominated party candidate during the last NCC mayoral poll in 2011, but withdrew from the race at the directive of the party high command just seven hours before polling began, said the insiders.
Khandker, however, told The Independent that he was not interested in contesting the polls under the present Election Commission.
Khandker, also Khaleda Zias adviser, said the BNP is the most popular political party in the country, and he would work for the victory of the party candidate at the directive of the party chairperson. Our position is better. If there is a free and fair election, our candidate will win, he asserted. City BNP general secretary ATM Kamal Uddin said the BNP candidate would secure a landslide victory if the election is held in a free, fair and peaceful manner. He also said the voters of Narayanganj city are eagerly waiting to vote for the sheaf of paddy and the victory of the BNP is certain.
