Haji Salim claims he was stopped from running for mayor

Awami League leader Haji Mohammad Salim claims he has been stopped from running for Dhaka South City Corporation mayor.

He told the Speaker during Monday’s session in Parliament that his letter of resignation from his MP post was torn and thrown into the bin.

But the independent MP did not take names.

Salim’s aide on Mar 25 told bdnews24.com that the letter was handed over to Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, but it was not accepted.

Parliament officials, however, had denied having received any such letter.

Addressing Chaudhury, Salim on Monday said, “Honourable Speaker, if you had accepted my letter I wouldn’t be here right now. I would have been at Dhaka South.”

The Speaker stopped him and asked, “Honourable MP, where is your resignation letter?”

Salim replied, “It’s with you.”

The Speaker asked again. He said, “I gave it to you. It was torn up.”

During the break for Maghrib prayers, bdnews24.com approached the ruling party’s Dhaka metropolitan unit Joint General Secretary Salim and asked who tore up the letter.

He said, “I cannot say that.”

According to the law, any MP willing to run for mayor in the city corporation polls will have to relinquish their seat in Parliament.

Salim earlier had indicated that he was giving up his seat. He had also collected the nomination papers to battle it out for Dhaka South mayor.

But he did not submit the form. The last date for nomination submission was Sunday.

The ruling party has already announced its support for Dhaka City unit’s Organising Secretary Sayeed Khokon in the mayoral race.

Media reports say Prime Minister and Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina had reportedly asked Salim to withdraw.

Afterwards, Salim went to India “for treatment and visiting the Ajmer Sharif”.

The Awami League leader was not seen in the past several days. He attended the Parliament session Monday after the nomination submission deadline ended.