If elected mayor, Tabith Awal will give priority to completing unfinished development projects of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), started by its first mayor, Annisul Huq. In an exclusive interview to The Independent, the BNP candidate said he wants to build a modern city basically for the youths, as, according to him, the majority of the city dwellers are below 30 years. “It will not be possible for a single person. The problems should be resolved together,” he added. He expressed hope that the Election Commission (EC) will conduct an election in which city dwellers can cast their votes safely and by themselves.

Tabith, a member of the BNP's national executive committee, is finalising his election manifesto.

“I'm just finalising the election manifesto. I'll place it before the city dwellers when I get the opportunity to carry out the campaign,” he said.

About his priorities, Tabith said he is still

fixing them as he was busy getting the nomination.

On Monday, the BNP nomination selection board, led by party chairperson Khaleda Zia, picked Tabith as the mayoral candidate from among five aspirants.

“I’ll share my priorities with you (journalists) when they are fixed,” he said.

Tabith, son of business tycoon Abdul Awal Mintoo, said his overall activities would be aimed at completing the ongoing work.

“I want to specify the work, along with its issue, place and determine the timeframe… It’ll be my policy. Now, I’m detailing it,” he said.

Replying to a question, Tabith said he is planning his campaign strategies as to how he would reach the people personally and along with party leaders and activists.

Tabith said his next big task is to get the nomination paper and submit it to the EC.

Asked about the results of the last DNCC elections, he only said: “It was not a poll.”

Replying to a another question, Tabith expressed hope that he would get the all-out cooperation of the other BNP aspirants. “I have already got their cooperation as they took part in the democratic process of selecting the candidate. Now, my accountability has increased from the partisan point of view,” he added.

He further said after getting the party’s nomination: “People’s hopes and aspirations have increased. I think I’ll be able to utilise it during the polls.”

Tabith had contested the last DNCC mayoral poll as the BNP candidate, but the party boycotted the polls at noon alleging manipulation of votes. The Awami League candidate, Annisul Huq, was elected mayor, securing 4,60,117 votes, while Tabith got 3,25,080.