8 finally vie for mayoral post

Five mayoral candidates yesterday pulled back from vying for the 17 June Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) Election, yielding place to eight others to run the mayoral race.
The candidates that withdrew their nomination papers are Md Iahaq Mia and Md Rezaul Karim Chowdhury of Awami League, Saifuddin Ahmed Robi of Juba League and M Solaiman Farid of Islamic Front.
They all held out their support to AL backed Nagorik Committee candidate ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury.
Jamaat-e-Islami backed Afser Uddin Chowdhury withdrew his candidature to support BNP backed Chattagram Unnyan Andolon candidate Mohammad Manjur Alam Manju.
Apart from two principal candidates Mohiuddin Chowdhury and Manjur Alam, others running for mayoral election are Solaiman Alam Sheith of Jatiya Party (Ershad), Jane Alam of Gano Forum, Md Rafiqul Islam of Islamic Andolone and some independent candidates Md Ibrahim, Syed Sajjad Zoha and Professor Mozammel Hossain Bhuiyan.
Mentionable, when the candidacies of Kamal Uddin Chowdhury, AAM Haider Ali, Wahed Asgar Chowdhury, MA Salam and Yakub Hossain did not survive official scrutiny, the number of contenders dropped to13 from 18.
Besides, around seven female contestants out of 67 withdrew their candidatures from female councillors (reserved) posts while a total of 65 male contestants out of 322 drew back their nomination papers.
Now around 59 candidates will compete for a total of 14 female councillor (reserved) posts and some 249 candidates for 41 male councillor posts in 41 wards under CCC.
The Election Commission in Chittagong will allocate election symbols to the candidates today.
Meanwhile both AL and BNP backed candidates are on the campaign trail round the clock to persuade the voters.
On the other hand, Returning Officer (RO) of Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) polls Jesmin Tuli yesterday in a letter asked BNP backed Manjur to give clarification of a motor rally at city's Patenga area Monday, which is a breach of electoral code.
Jesmin Tuli told The Daily Star that the election officials got to know about it from the dailies and published photographs in the newspapers.
“In the letter, I mentioned the electoral code of conduct that no showdown with vehicle can be carried out for campaigning and asked him to reply immediately,” she said, adding that they would wait for the reply till today.
The highest punishment for violating the electoral code is the cancellation of his candidacy while the punishment also includes fines, the official said.
But, every thing will depend on his reply, the RO added.
The Election Commission earlier warned Manjur of bringing out a procession on May 18 violating electoral code of conduct.