Jatiya Party names musician Shafin to run for Dhaka North City mayor

The Jatiya Party has nominated band musician Shafin Ahmed as its candidate for the Dhaka North City Corporation mayor’s office.

Secretary General Mashiur Rahman Ranga announced the decision at party chief HM Ershad’s Banani offices on Wednesday ahead of the by-election.

Besides Shafin, businessman Hasibul Islam Joy also bought the Jatiya Party nomination form, but it finally chose Shafin, Deputy Office Secretary MA Razzak Khan said. 

Shafin, the lead vocalist and bassist of the band Miles, will contest in the Feb 28 by-polls with the party’s ‘plough’ symbol.

The letter confirming the nomination was sent to the musician while another was sent to Election 
Commission informing it about the nomination, Razzak said.

The EC announced a schedule for the by-election last year after the death of Mayor Annisul Huq in 2017.

Shafin, son of famous Nazrul Sangeet exponent Firoza Begum and composer Kamal Dasgupta, emerged as the contender of the Nationalist Democratic Movement or NDM formed by Bobby Hajjaj at the time. 

The by-election was halted following a High Court injunction and the EC announced the new schedule after the court lifted the bar.

Among the rivals of Shafin is readymade garment sector entrepreneur Atiqul Islam, who is running with the ruling Awami League’s ‘boat’ symbol.

The BNP, which rejected the results of the Dec 30 parliamentary elections alleging widespread rigging and irregularities, has announced a boycott of the DNCC mayoral by-polls.