The BNP-led 20-party alliance has decided to give nomination to a single mayoral candidate for each of the upcoming city corporation election in Barisal, Rajshahi and Sylhet scheduled for July 30.

 BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said this at a press conference at the party’s Gulshan office in the capital after holding a meeting with the members of the 20-party alliance.

He, however, said the decision of fielding a single candidate had not yet been finalised, as the BNP and its alliance partner Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh have their party candidates in Sylhet City Corporation election.

“The 20-party alliance will work together in the upcoming three city polls.

Leaders and activists of the alliance partners will work for the single candidate,” Fakhrul said. BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan said the alliance partners had stood by the BNP’s stand on the demand for Khaleda Zia’s release.

 The alliance leaders have demanded the release of Khaleda and her proper medical treatment.

Khan said the alliance also protested against it described as the government’s pretexts to stall Khaleda’s bail.

“We have protested the government’s stand on the reforms of quota system in government jobs. We also protested against the attacks and arrest of the quota protesters,” he added.

The alliance partners also expressed their support for the demand of quota reforms and the demands of the teachers and employees of the non-government educational institutions who want inclusion of their institutions in Monthly Pay Order (MPO) system.

The leaders also demanded that the Myanmar government be pressurised and urged the UN to play an active role in resolving the Rohingya crisis.