Chittagong Mayor Manjur says interested to contest polls, awaiting BNP’s decision

Incumbent Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) Mayor Manjur Alam says he is keen to contest in the upcoming city polls but is waiting for his party BNP’s decision, which sat out the 2014 national polls.

Alam, also an adviser to party chief Khaleda Zia, has hinted at joining the fray once the BNP chairperson gives the clearance.

He spoke to bdnews24.com on Friday, a day after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina called her party’s Chittagong unit leaders to discuss the forthcoming polls.

Alam, who defeated his mentor and Awami League leader ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury to become the mayor, has been silent on the elections.

The Election Commission on Wednesday announced the schedule for the Dhaka City Corporation (South and North) and CCC polls.The elections will be held on Apr 28 and the nomination submission deadline is Mar 29.

The distribution of nomination forms in the three city corporations started Thursday.

“I’ll think about the elections if the party decides something,” Alam told bdnews24.com. “But madam’s (Khaleda) decision will be the biggest factor.”

The BNP on Friday said they were divided in their opinion about contesting the polls but a ‘final decision’ would be announced soon.

Senior BNP leaders were not available for comments but its central committee leader AM Najim Uddin told bdnews24.com that they would announce a decision on the CCC polls within ‘a day or two’.

He said the BNP ‘high command’ would decide on its candidates if it decided to take part.

Mayor Alam said, “I’ve served the people for five years. They will evaluate my work. But I’m waiting for my party’s decision.”He was thrice elected a councillor of ward number 10 in 1994 with the Awami League’s support.

He worked as acting mayor when then mayor Mohiuddin Chowdhury was arrested during the 2007-8 emergency.

But he sought the BNP’s support and challenged Chowdhury in the 2010 city polls.

He met BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia before the election and defeated Chowdhury by nearly 95,000 votes.

Alam was made Khaleda’s adviser a year after the elections, but local BNP leaders say he is not active in the party’s politics.