Formal campaigning for N’ganj city polls begins

The Awami League (AL) is going all-out to ensure victory for its candidate, Selina Hayat Ivy, in the Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) election slated for December 22. The top brass of the AL, including party president and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, is closely monitoring the party's activities. On instructions from the party president, central leaders of the AL have been holding meetings with associate bodies and their alliance partners at the Dhanmondi party office almost every day.
AL presidium member Kazi Zafarullah, AL joint general secretaries Mahbubul Alam Hanif and Dr Dipu Moni, its organising secretaries Enamul Haque Shamim, Barrister Muhibul Hasan Chowdhury, forest and environment affairs secretary Delwar Hossain and executive member Iqbal Hossen Apu, held a meeting at the Dhanmondi office yesterday morning. After the meeting, this correspondent spoke to Dipu Moni. She said a team, led by Kazi Zafarullah, left Dhaka for Narayanganj yesterday to give instructions to the party candidate, Selina Hayat Ivy. Talking to this correspondent, AL leader Delwar Hossain said: "Central leaders will hold a meeting with Narayanganj district leaders in a bid to narrow the rift between Ivy and other leaders there, in particular AL lawmaker Shamim Osman." The central leaders also held a meeting with the women's wing, the Mahila Awami League, at the Dhanmondi office yesterday to chalk out the campaign strategy for the NCC polls. Talking to this correspondent, Shahara Khatun, a member of the associate body, said a team, comprising members of the Mahila Awami League, would also visit Narayanganj city and campaign in favour of party-backed candidates.
On Saturday, the party general secretary, Obadidul Quader, held a closed-door meeting with women members of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), particularly those who are residents of Narayanganj and studying at Dhaka University and other universities of the capital. At the meeting, Quader directed the BCL members to carry out a door-to-door campaign in Narayanganj and seek blessings and votes for Ivy after December 5.
Nusrat Jahan, a BCL leader who was present at the meeting, told this correspondent that party high-ups will form 27 committees, comprising women members, for 27 wards of Narayanganj city. “And then, we will begin a door-to-door campaign for our candidate, Ivy,” she said.
Party insiders said the AL high-ups have taken the NCC poll as an acid test of its popularity before the 2019 national elections. The ruling party has nominated single candidates and told local rebel leaders to work for the party-nominated candidates so that they win.
The Election Commission yesterday allocated electoral symbols to mayoral and councillor candidates for contesting the NCC polls. With this, formal campaigning began.
The AL-backed mayoral candidate, Selina Hayat Ivy, was given the "boat" symbol by the returning officer, and the BNP-nominated candidate, Shakhawat Hossain, "sheaf of paddy".
Ivy and Shakhawat then spoke to waiting media-persons, reports our correspondent.
Calling upon the voters to elect her, Ivy said: “I hope the residents of Narayanganj will re-elect me, and give me a chance to develop the city further. Ivy is not separated from the 'boat' and the 'boat' is not separated from Ivy,” she said. She would accept the poll results whatever be the outcome, Ivy added.
While talking to journalists, Shakhawat alleged that Ivy is not abiding by the electoral code of conduct as employees of the city corporation were seen taking part in her campaign processions, he said. He said he wants to have faith in the EC and urged it to step up measures for holding free and fair elections.
Other mayoral candidates—Rashed Ferdous of the Kollyan Party got the electoral symbol "wristwatch", Kamal Prodhan of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) "umbrella", Advocate Mahbubur Rahman of Biplobi Workers' Party "spade", Mufti Masum Billah of the Islami Andolon Bangladesh "hand-fan" and Mufti Ezharul Huq of the Islami Oikkya Jote got "minar". Over 4.79 lakh voters are expected to cast their ballots to elect a city mayor, 27 ward councillors and nine women councillors (reserved seats). The first election to the NCC was held on October 30, 2011, when Selina Hayat Ivy won, defeating the ruling Awami League-backed candidate, Shamim Osman.

Formal campaigning for Nganj city polls begins

The Awami League (AL) is going all-out to ensure victory for its candidate, Selina Hayat Ivy, in the Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) election slated for December 22. The top brass of the AL, including party president and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, is closely monitoring the partys activities. On instructions from the party president, central leaders of the AL have been holding meetings with associate bodies and their alliance partners at the Dhanmondi party office almost every day. AL presidium member Kazi Zafarullah, AL joint general secretaries Mahbubul Alam Hanif and Dr Dipu Moni, its organising secretaries Enamul Haque Shamim, Barrister Muhibul Hasan Chowdhury, forest and environment affairs secretary Delwar Hossain and executive member Iqbal Hossen Apu, held a meeting at the Dhanmondi office yesterday morning. After the meeting, this correspondent spoke to Dipu Moni. She said a team, led by Kazi Zafarullah, left Dhaka for Narayanganj yesterday to give instructions to the party candidate, Selina Hayat Ivy. Talking to this correspondent, AL leader Delwar Hossain said: Central leaders will hold a meeting with Narayanganj district leaders in a bid to narrow the rift between Ivy and other leaders there, in particular AL lawmaker Shamim Osman. The central leaders also held a meeting with the womens wing, the Mahila Awami League, at the Dhanmondi office yesterday to chalk out the campaign strategy for the NCC polls. Talking to this correspondent, Shahara Khatun, a member of the associate body, said a team, comprising members of the Mahila Awami League, would also visit Narayanganj city and campaign in favour of party-backed candidates. On Saturday, the party general secretary, Obadidul Quader, held a closed-door meeting with women members of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), particularly those who are residents of Narayanganj and studying at Dhaka University and other universities of the capital. At the meeting, Quader directed the BCL members to carry out a door-to-door campaign in Narayanganj and seek blessings and votes for Ivy after December 5. Nusrat Jahan, a BCL leader who was present at the meeting, told this correspondent that party high-ups will form 27 committees, comprising women members, for 27 wards of Narayanganj city. And then, we will begin a door-to-door campaign for our candidate, Ivy, she said. Party insiders said the AL high-ups have taken the NCC poll as an acid test of its popularity before the 2019 national elections. The ruling party has nominated single candidates and told local rebel leaders to work for the party-nominated candidates so that they win. The Election Commission yesterday allocated electoral symbols to mayoral and councillor candidates for contesting the NCC polls. With this, formal campaigning began. The AL-backed mayoral candidate, Selina Hayat Ivy, was given the boat symbol by the returning officer, and the BNP-nominated candidate, Shakhawat Hossain, sheaf of paddy. Ivy and Shakhawat then spoke to waiting media-persons, reports our correspondent. Calling upon the voters to elect her, Ivy said: I hope the residents of Narayanganj will re-elect me, and give me a chance to develop the city further. Ivy is not separated from the boat and the boat is not separated from Ivy, she said. She would accept the poll results whatever be the outcome, Ivy added. While talking to journalists, Shakhawat alleged that Ivy is not abiding by the electoral code of conduct as employees of the city corporation were seen taking part in her campaign processions, he said. He said he wants to have faith in the EC and urged it to step up measures for holding free and fair elections. Other mayoral candidatesRashed Ferdous of the Kollyan Party got the electoral symbol wristwatch, Kamal Prodhan of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) umbrella, Advocate Mahbubur Rahman of Biplobi Workers Party spade, Mufti Masum Billah of the Islami Andolon Bangladesh hand-fan and Mufti Ezharul Huq of the Islami Oikkya Jote got minar. Over 4.79 lakh voters are expected to cast their ballots to elect a city mayor, 27 ward councillors and nine women councillors (reserved seats). The first election to the NCC was held on October 30, 2011, when Selina Hayat Ivy won, defeating the ruling Awami League-backed candidate, Shamim Osman.