Dhaka mayoral polls: NCP weighs Nasiruddin, Asif for South, Adib, Amirul for North
Last Friday, the party held an informal meeting where, alongside organisational matters, the forthcoming local government elections were discussed.
Four leaders of the National Citizen Party (NCP) are currently under discussion as potential candidates for the upcoming elections to Dhaka's two city corporations, according to party insiders.
Several central leaders of the party told The Business Standard that the issue will be formally discussed at a general meeting scheduled for 26 February. A decision will also be taken regarding whether the party will contest the polls independently or as part of an alliance.
Last Friday, the party held an informal meeting where, alongside organisational matters, the forthcoming local government elections were discussed.
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Three central leaders said party spokesperson Asif Mahmud has expressed interest in contesting the Dhaka South City Corporation election. However, Nasiruddin Patwary, who previously contested a competitive race in Dhaka-8, is also confident about running in the south.
The leaders said reaching a final decision between the two could pose a challenge for two top leaders Nahid Islam and Akhtar Hossain. The 26 February general meeting is expected to provide clarity on the nomination.
Regarding the Dhaka North City Corporation, party leaders said Senior Joint Convener and Dhaka North unit Convener Ariful Islam Adib is actively preparing for the race. Adib secured more than 100,000 votes in the Dhaka-18 parliamentary election. At the same time, Dhaka North Member Secretary Sardar Amirul Islam is also seeking to position himself in the discussions.
Party insiders added that Nasiruddin Patwary remains active in the field, regularly attending programmes in the southern areas. Meanwhile, Asif Mahmud is considered a key policymaker within the party, which may boost his prospects.
Leaders of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, however, indicated that with growing voter support in Dhaka, the party is less inclined to concede the mayoral posts to alliance partners like NCP. They noted that discussions are ongoing and the election schedule remains uncertain, making it premature to draw firm conclusions.
