50 candidates of BNP-Jamaat will attend SCC election

Ignoring the party's strict warning, none of the BNP leaders and activists who were councilor candidates in the Sylhet City Corporation elections withdrew their nominations.

On June 1, the last day of withdrawal of nominations, Thokal remained adamant in the election. As a result, BNP is going to take strict action against them like 'lifelong expulsion'. However, Jamaat is flexible about the leaders and activists participating in the elections. The party that announced the boycott of the city elections is silently supporting the councilor candidate party leaders without taking action against them.

Current mayor and executive member of BNP Ariful Haque Chowdhury did not participate due to party's strict stance on Sylhet City Corporation election. Announcing his decision not to be a candidate himself, he called upon the people of the city to abstain from voting. After the exclusion of Mayor Arif, some other councilor candidates and BNP leaders announced their withdrawal from the city elections. Still, at least half a hundred leaders remained adamant about the election. They are contesting from different wards of the city. Party leaders were hopeful that some of these candidates might withdraw from the election on Thursday, the last day of withdrawal of nominations. But in the end none of the candidates withdrew the nomination.

Among the current councillors, the BNP leaders who are contesting again are- former organizing secretary of Metropolitan BNP, councilor of Ward No. 1 Syed Toufiqul Hadi, former Vice President of Metropolitan BNP, Councilor of Ward No. 6 Farhad Chowdhury Shamim, former president of Ward BNP and Councilor of Ward No. 14 Nazrul Islam Munim, Ward BNP leader and councilor of Ward No. 18 ABM Zillur Rahman Ujjal, president of Ward Volunteers Party and Councilor of Ward No. 21 Abdur Rakib Tuhin, president of Mahanagar Mahila Dal and former joint convener of Mahanagar BNP and councilor of reserved Ward No. 9 Advocate Roksana Begum Shahnaz are also contesting. Among these, Roksana Begum Shahnaz has become a candidate from General Ward No. 25.

In addition, the BNP leaders who have been candidates for councilors in various wards are - Kamal Mia, former organizational secretary of Mahanagar BNP in Ward No. 5, Khaled Akbar Chowdhury, former member of the convening committee of Mahanagar BNP, former general secretary of ward BNP Aminur Rahman Khokon and former joint general secretary of Mahanagar Chhatra Dal Sheikh Md. Shahed Siraj. BNP leader Mujibur Rahman Shawkat in Ward No. 15, former Chhatra Dal leader Salman Chowdhury in Ward No. 18, former convenor of Sylhet Government College Chhatra Dal in Ward No. 22. Badrul Azad Rana, former Chhatra Dal leader Humayun Kabir Suhin in Ward No. 24, BNP leader Delwar Hossain Joy in Ward No. 37 and Chhatra Dal leader in Ward No. 40. Abdul Haseeb

Apart from this, Mahila Dal leader Shahana Begum Shanu in the reserved 5th ward, Kamrun Nahar Chowdhury, vice president of ward BNP in 6th ward, Saleha Kabir Sepi, president of the district women's board in 8th ward, have been candidates.

In addition, Salah Uddin Rimon, a youth party worker, has also been a candidate for the post of mayor.

Nasim Hossain, president of BNP in Sylhet city, said about party leaders' participation in the election, "The list of those who are not following the party decision will be sent to the center. It has already been announced from the center that those who disobey the party's decision will be expelled for life.

Meanwhile, at least 20 Jamaat activists and supporters are contesting for councilor posts in the elections. Among them are - No. 2 Ward Md. Rajik Mia, Ward No. 7 Sayed Md. Abdullah, Faizul Haque in Ward No. 8, Md. in Ward No. 12. Abdul Qadir, current councilor Abdul Muhit Jabed in ward 16, current councilor Suhail Ahmad Ripon in ward 24, former councilor Abdul Jalil Nazrul in ward 27, Suhail Rana in ward 28, advocate Maqsud Ahmed in ward 30, Manjurul Islam in ward 33 and Manjurul Islam in ward 41.

Amir Mohammad Fakhrul Islam of Jamaat's Sylhet metropolitan branch said, "We have decided not to go to any election under this government." So we gave a separate candidate in the last city election but we did not give it this time. There is no opportunity to look at the councilor election from a party point of view. No one is candidate for councilor on party identity. Due to local pressure and personal acceptance, many members of Jamaat have become councilor candidates. Jamaat has no involvement with it. As it is a local election, the party will not take any tough decision against the candidates. Apart from that, the candidates are not in any responsible position of the party.

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