AL pardons ex-GCC mayor Zahangir again

Bangladesh Awami League yesterday pardoned the former mayor of Gazipur City Corporation Mohammad Zahangir Alam again.

A letter, signed by AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader, has been sent to him in this regard.

He has been reinstated in the party on the condition that he won't engage in any activities that go against the party's interest and organisational discipline.

The letter also mentions that any further violation of the organisation's rules will be deemed unforgivable.

"I have received the letter," Zahangir told our Gazipur correspondent.

"Victory is guaranteed to those who remain loyal to the party. This has been proven again," he said.

Thanking Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, he vowed to serve the people as a loyal member of the Awami League.

Zahangir was first expelled from the party in November 2021 after a video clip of him making derogatory remarks about Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and expressing doubts about the number of martyrs in the Liberation War went viral on social media.

Before his expulsion, Zahangir, who was elected Gazipur mayor in 2018 on an AL ticket, also became the general secretary of the party's Gazipur city unit.

Seven days after his expulsion, the government suspended him as mayor amid allegations of graft, abuse of power, and violation of rules.

The AL later withdrew the expulsion order on January 21 this year.

In May this year, the AL Central Executive Committee again expelled him from the party for collecting nomination papers for the post of mayor in GCC polls disobeying the party's decision.

Zahangir and his mother Zaida Khatun filed nomination forms as independents.

Zahangir started campaigning for his mother after the Election Commission scrapped his nomination paper saying he was a defaulter as a loan guarantor.

Zaida Khatun won the GCC polls and took oath as mayor on September 11 this year.