Nine apply to run for Gazipur mayor

A total of 638 candidates, including nine for mayor and the rest for councillor posts, have applied to run in the maiden election to Gazipur City Corporation scheduled for July 6.
The deadline for submission of nomination papers expired yesterday, with 499 people having applied for 57 general councillor posts and 130 women applied for 19 reserved councillor posts for female.
The nine mayoral aspirants include Advocate Azmot Ullah Khan, backed by Awami League; Prof MA Mannan, backed by BNP; Kazi Mahmudul Hasan, unofficially backed by Jatiya Party; Jahangir Alam, backed by Nagorik Committee; Fazlur Rahman, backed by Islami Okiya Jote; and Mesbah Uddin Rubel, backed by Jatiyatabadi Projonmo Dal. The remaining three are independent candidates--Aman Ullah, businessman; Rina Sultana, lawyer; and Nazim Uddin Ahmed, businessman.
The last date for withdrawal of candidacy is June 17.
The government merged Gazipur and Tongi municipalities into Gazipur City Corporation on January 7, which has 10,26,967 voters.