Chittagong city polls: BNP-backed mayor candidate Manjur Alam quits race, politics

In a shocking move, BNP-backed Manjur Alam pulled out from the mayoral race a few hours after the polling started in Chittagong City Corporation yesterday, saying he was frustrated at the "massive vote-rigging" there.

But in a more dramatic turn of events, he announced retirement from politics for good, without citing any specific reason behind his decision.

"This politics does not suit me anymore," he said at an impromptu and brief but intriguing press conference at his election office in the city's Dewanhat at 11:15am.

"It's my sixth election and now I am quitting [the election race]. I am also retiring from politics," said Manjur, flanked by BNP Vice Chairman Abdullah Al Noman and Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, president of the city unit BNP.

When journalists asked the immediate past CCC mayor why he was making such an extreme move, Manjur became emotional.

"I don't want to say anything about it. I want to make an end here. I am not involved with politics anymore. I am resigning from my political post now. I will not do politics and I shall remain engaged in social activities," Manjur, also an adviser to BNP chief Khaleda Zia, said in a choked voice.

"Was there any political pressure on you?" asked a journalist.

He replied in the negative and said: "The situation compels me to do this."

On yesterday's election, he said he wanted a free, fair and neutral election but it wasn't happening.

"I don't want to take part in the election in such a chaotic situation ... and that's why I quit," Manjur said.

Just three minutes after beginning his speech, Manjur hastily left the venue with tearful eyes, refusing to take any more questions.

Before him, Noman and Khosru spoke to journalists announcing their decision to boycott the city polls, alleging "large-scale irregularities".

When the microphone was passed on to Manjur, he initially refused to speak, saying he didn't have anything to say.

From there, he went straight to his Kattoli residence. This paper tried to contact him several times but his cell phone was found switched off every time.

His elder son Nijamul Alam was then contacted. He said his father didn't want to meet anybody. He also refused to make any comment on his father's decision of retiring from politics.

A businessman and social worker, Manjur became a CCC ward councillor in 1994. He won three consecutive elections from his ward and won the trust of three-time former CCC mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury, so much so that the Awami League heavyweight entrusted Manjur with his charge nine times during the mayor's absence.

After Mohiuddin's arrest during the army-backed caretaker government regime in 2007, Manjur ran the city corporation as an acting mayor for two years. It was then the relationship between the two soured.

In 2010 CCC elections, Manjur, hitherto known as pro-AL, vied against Mohiuddin with the BNP chief's blessing and surprisingly defeated his political guru by a large margin.

BNP ITSELF TO BLAME?

With Manjur keeping mum, his associates and AL leaders, including his rival candidate, came up with their own versions of what could possibly have prompted him to retire from politics.

"Poor response from the BNP grassroots during the election campaigns and on the voting day, and the BNP high-command's sudden decision to boycott the election might have frustrated him and led him [Manjur] to say goodbye to politics," a close aide of Manjur told The Daily Star yesterday.

"One-third of the BNP-picked polling agents did not appear at the polling centres ... He [Manjur] was telling me a couple of days back that he was providing all financial supports required by the BNP leaders and activists but was getting a very poor response from them. He told me of his frustration even this morning," said the associate. He did not want to be named, fearing repercussions from within the party.

"Manjur was not willing to boycott the polls so early into the voting as he had information that voters had just started coming to the polling centres. Rather, he wanted to wait till the noon before making any announcement," he added.

Similar observations were made by senior AL leaders as well.

"Manjur Alam boycotted the election out of anger and frustration from finding out no polling agents and party leaders at the voting centres. He even announced to quit politics," AL Joint General Secretary Mahabub-ul-Alam Hanif said at a press conference at the AL chief's Dhanmondi office yesterday.

At another press conference in Chittagong, AL Publicity Affairs Secretary Hasan Mahamud said Manjur was forced by the BNP to withdraw from the race and this made him retire from politics.

Refuting the allegations, BNP leader Abdullah Al Noman, also the chief campaign coordinator for Manjur, said: "All the party leaders and activists together worked hard for Manjur. The real fact is people could not go to the centres to cast vote and ruling party cadres brought in from outside the city stuffed ballot boxes with help from the administration."

"Manjur was frustrated at the open rigging in the polls. All the votes were cast by the criminals by 9:00am-10:00am at many centres. There was no use of waiting till the end," he argued.

As for Manjur's retirement decision, he said: "I too am thinking of retiring from politics as politics is going under the clutches of the goons."

Manjur's rival from the AL camp said his opponent had quit the mayoral race to avoid embarrassment.

"He [Manjur] resorted to an evil trick only to escape a defeat. He did not do anything in his seven years at the mayor's office. Everything he did was in his own interests," AL-favoured mayor contender AJM Nasir told reporters following Manjur's announcement of quitting the mayoral race.

Failing to contact Manjur on his phone for his comments, The Daily Star sent a correspondent to his residence. He waited in front of the house for two hours till 4:00pm, but was not let in.

The phones of both Manjur and his sons were found switched off till 10:00 last night.