JaPa, other parties in mayoral race as BNP opts not to participate

The candidates of the Jatiya Party (JaPa), the Islami Andolan Bangladesh and the Islami Shashantantra Andolan will have to compete with the ruling Awami League nominated candidates in the upcoming city polls in Sylhet and Barishal in June as the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) opted to stay away from any polls.

In Sylhet, no other parties except the ruling Awami League and the Islami Andolan Bangladesh have nominated any candidate. However, there are rumours that BNP-backed current mayor Ariful Haque Chowdhury would run for a third term, independently.  

The ruling Awami League's United Kingdom unit Joint General Secretary Anwaruzzaman Chowdhury has secured the ruling party's ticket for the mayoral race.

Meanwhile, at least three leaders of the Jatiya Party (JaPa)-- Sylhet Metropolitan Unit Convener and Central Committee member Nazrul Islam Babul, freedom fighter Mahbubur Rahman Chowdhury and the United Kingdom Jatiya Party Vice President Abdus Samad have started campaigns in the city to secure ticket from the party to compete in the mayoral race.

Meanwhile, Islami Andolan Bangladesh's picked its Sylhet Division Organising Secretary Mahmudul Hasan for the mayoral race. Mahmudul has already started campaigning.  

Besides, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, a component of the BNP-led 20-party alliance, which was scrapped off Election Commission (EC) registration in 2018, has also decided to abstain from the Sylhet city polls. 

"Jamaat has decided not to participate in any election under this government. There will be no change in the party's stance regarding the Sylhet city polls," Sylhet Metropolitan Jamaat Amir Fakhrul Islam said.

On the other hand, leaders of the leftist parties have said that they will not participate in the CCC polls as a part of the anti-government movement.

Socialist Party of Bangladesh (SPB) Sylhet District Convener Abu Jafar said, "This Election Commission (EC) has failed to conduct the previous local government elections in a fair manner. Besides, holding fair elections is impossible under the current government".

Communist Party Bangladesh (CPB) and Left Alliance's Sylhet Divisional Coordinator Anwar Hossain Sumon and SPB (Marxist) Sylhet District Unit Coordinator Ujjal Roy echoed the same.

In Barishal, four mayor aspirants -- Taposh from Jatiya Party (JaPa), Mawlana Rezaul Karim from the Islami Shashantantra Andolan, Abul Khayer Khokon Serniabat from the Awami League and independent candidate Rupon-- are expected to join the race for mayor's post. 

The four have started publicity campaigns to seek votes from the city dwellers, meanwhile. 

Talking to our correspondent in Barishal, the candidates of the Islami Shashantantra Andoloan and the Awami League will be the main opponents for the mayor's post. 

"Islami Shashantantra Andolon's candidate and the Awami League nominated one will be the main contenders in the election if we can cast our votes independently," said Rafiqul Isalm Babu, a young lawyer of Barishal court. 

"We are in a festive mood as all the mayoral candidates and their supporters are seeking votes from us. We will get the chance to elect our mayor," said Maksudur Rahman Khan, a former professor of the Govt BM College. 

"People will vote for me considering my quality, honesty, and for the development of the city," said Islami Shashantantra's Mawlana Rezaul Karim. 

AL candidate Abul Khayer Khokon Serniabat said, "People will vote for me to see positive changes and to get a liveable city".