Barishal City Election: Over 20 BNP leaders to vie for councillorship

Ignoring the party's decision of boycotting the polls, at least two dozen leaders of the BNP and its associate bodies are likely to run for councillor in the June 12 Barishal city elections.

Kamrul Ahsan Rupon, son of late Barishal mayor and ex-city BNP president Ahsan Habib Kamal, has announced that he will take part in the mayoral polls as an independent. Rupon doesn't hold any party post.

Though the councillor polls are not held along party lines, the BNP said it will go tough against its leaders and activists who will run for mayor and councillor. Actions will be taken against their patrons as well, warned the party.

Filing of nomination papers closes on May 16.

On Friday, the opposition party issued show-cause notices to at least 20 leaders over participating in the May 25 Gazipur city ward councillor polls.

Meanwhile, the leaders of the BNP and its associate bodies are already seeking blessings from the voters of Barishal city.

The leaders said they are running in the election keeping the voters' demand in mind. Several of them claimed that they are popular among the voters as they served as councillor in the past.

Speaking to The Daily Star, Rupon said, "Those who support the BNP will definitely not vote for 'boat', 'plough' and 'hand fan'. I belong to the BNP family. My whole family belongs to the BNP. I believe if the party supporters can vote after going to the polling centres, they will definitely vote for me."

The "boat", "plough" and "hand fan" are the electoral symbols of the Awami League, the Jatiya Party and the Islami Andolon Bangladesh.

Habibur Rahman Tipu, a former ward councillor and also the joint convener of Barishal city BNP, is a councillor hopeful.

"I have been in politics for 40 years. Voters in my area believe that I would be able to realise their aspirations. That's why I am going to take part in the election. This will also strengthen the party's position in my locality," Tipu told this newspaper.

Firoz Ahmed, convener of ward-24 BNP and also the incumbent councillor of ward-9, Barishal City BNP Joint Convener Harun Ar Rashid, Joint Convener of ward-19 BNP Aminul Islam Amin, former ward-22 councillor and incumbent city BNP member Saiful Ahsan Azim, ex-councillor and ward-3 BNP member Mainul Haque, and city BNP member Altaf Mahmud Shikder, are among the BNP leaders who have announced their decisions of running for councillor.

Saiful Ahsan said, "Though the party instructed us not to take part in the election, I have decided to participate in it considering my age [around 50] and the interest of my supporters."

Barishal City BNP Convener Mohammad Moniruzzaman said those who will participate in the elections going against the party's decision will have to do it on their own responsibility.

The last date for withdrawing from the polls is May 25.