Chittagong Mayor M Manjur Alam will have to resign if he wants to fight in the upcoming polls.
Published : 24 Mar 2015, 07:50 PM
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s Adviser Alam has not spoken of the party's decision on contesting the city polls.
A special circular on candidate’s incapability to take part in the elections was sent to Chittagong’s Regional Election and Returning Officer Abdul Baten on Tuesday.
The circular signed by Election Commission Deputy Secretary Shamsul Alam says no one posted as a mayor will be able to take part in any city corporation election as a mayor aspirant following the Local Government Act 2009.
He or she will have to resign if wants to fight the polls, it says.
Asked about the matter, CCC Mayor Alam said, “Nobody will go against the party's decision. I’ll speak once the party declares something.”
Alam will have to resign within the next five days as Mar 29 is the last day to collect and submit nomination papers.
A sitting mayor will not be able to fight the polls before resigning following an ordinance issued by the Election Commission on May 14, 2008.
But, a councillor will be able to fight the polls while holding the post .
In the last election to the Chittagong City Corporation (CCC), former mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury had resigned and fought for the post again.
According to the law, a three-member panel of councillors is formed in the first meeting after the election.
The panel mayor takes the office when the mayor resigns. If there is no panel mayor, the Local Government Division selects a panel mayor.
Voting in two city corporations in Dhaka and one in Chittagong will be held on Apr 28.
Alam’s tenure ends on Jul 26.
Ruling Awami League has already decided to back AJM Nasir Uddin in the mayoral fight.