17 AL men seek mayoral candidacy

Ten mayoral aspirants from Awami League submitted their nomination forms for Gazipur City Corporation election while seven AL leaders did the same for Khulna city polls till the deadline, yesterday.

The elections are scheduled to be held on May 15.

To select two mayoral aspirants, the AL Local Government Nomination Board is scheduled to hold a meeting at Gono Bhaban today with Prime Minister and AL President Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

Although Khulna city AL proposed five names keeping its President Talukder Abdul Khaleque as their first choice, he did not collect the party nomination form.

AL sources said as the party considers Khaleque, also former mayor of Khulna City Corporation and incumbent lawmaker of Bagerhat-3, as most “popular and acceptable” candidate, he was asked to meet party chief Hasina at today's meeting.

During the recent Khulna city AL extended meeting, Khaleque announced that he was not interested in contesting the election.