Eight Chittagong councillors uncertain about getting chance to campaign

Eight pro-BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami councillors seeking re-election to Chittagong City Corporation are uncertain about campaign as they have been either on the run or in custody after being accused in cases over acts of sabotages.

Several of them said they might contest the polls from prison.

Police said they would act as per the directive of the Election Commission about the absconding councillors.

BNP’s Chittagong City unit President Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury said: “Dhaka has been informed about the cases against the candidates.”

“We’re waiting to see what the Election Commission, law-enforcing agencies and the government do,” he said.

A total of 359 candidates submitted their nominations by Sunday for 41 posts of general councillors and 14 seats of reserved women councillors.

The aspirants include eight incumbent councillors who are on the run after cases were filed against them over subversive acts during agitations sponsored by the BNP-led 20-Party alliance.

They are Chandgaon Ward’s (number 4) Mahbubul Alam, Uttar Paharhtali’s (9) Abdus Satar Selim, Alkaran’s (31) Didarur Rahman Lavu, Patharghata’s (34) Ismail Bali, Uttar Madyam Halishahar’s (37) Hasan Murad, and Dakshin Halishahar’s (39) Sarfaraj Kader Russell of the BNP, and Shulakbahar’s (8) Shamsuzzaman Helali and Paharhtali’s (13) Mahfuzul Alam of the Jamaat.

Of them, Mahbul Alam is in police custody in the case filed over bomb attack on police at Chandgaon on Apr 8.

The absconding councillors collected nomination forms and submitted them through their families, lawyers or party activists to avoid arrest.

The voting will be held on Apr 28.

Councillor Ismail Bali claimed he had been wrongly accused in a case filed over crude bomb explosion on Mar 16 when he was in Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah.

He told bdnews24.com: “My supporters submitted nominations on my behalf. I’ll move the High Court for bail and will launch the campaign if I get bail.”

He said he was ready to contest the polls from prison ‘if necessary’.

Councillor Abdus Sattar Selim said he would also appeal to the High Court for bail after the court reopened on Apr 2 following vacation.

He, however, said there would be problem in campaigning if he could not secure the bail.

When asked, Chittagong Metropolitan Police’s Commissioner Abdul Jalil Mandal said: “Now we’re under the disposal of the Election Commission. We’ll act as per their directive.”