In the upcoming Khulna City Corporation (KCC) elections, Awami League leaders have become each other's rivals for the councillor post in 26 wards out of 31 as BNP leaders will not participate.
Metropolitan Awami League General Secretary MDA Babul Rana said that three leaders from the Awami Leauge have been given nomination in wards number 19, 24 and 27. Candidates are open in the remaining 28 wards. There are no objections from the party even though there are several candidates in these wards.
In ward number 3, four out of five candidates are from Awami League. Apart from the incumbent Councilor Abdus Salam, the party's Ward General Secretary Maksud Hasan Piku, Sramik League leader Abzal Jamaddar and Mahanagar Jubo League member Kazi Ibrahim Marshall are also candidates.
In ward number 10, four out of six candidates are from Awami League. They are current councillor and Jubo League leader Kazi Talat Hossain Kaut, local Awami League unit Health Affairs Secretary Dr ASM Sayem Mia, Khalishpur unit Swecchasebak League Convener Shariful Islam Prince and ward Awami League leader Imam Uddin Ahmed.
In ward number 11, Awami League leader Anwarul Islam Kajal is competing with Munsi Abdul Wadud, the current Councillor and Metropolitan Awami League member, Jubo League leader Zaman Mollah, former Chhatra League leader Abul Kalam Kajal and Naimul Islam Khaled.
In ward number 12, five out of seven candidates are from Awami League. current Councillor Moniruzzaman Monir, who has just joined the Awami League, Tahidul Islam Jhantu, the party's Thana Education Secretary, former Chhatra League leaders Zubair Hossain, Mirazur Rahman and Shariful Islam Babu.
Five of the 12 candidates in Ward No14 are Awami League leaders. They are the General Secretary of the ward Shahjahan Jamaddar, former councillor Mofizur Rahman Palash, Monirul Islam, Jubo League leader Yasir Arafat Yasin and Sramik League leader Nasir Sardar.
Five out of eight candidates of ward number 18 are from Awami League. Ward Awami League General Secretary Md Zakir Hossain, Awami League leader TM Arif, Jubo League leader SM Rajul Hasan Raju, KM Rashed Ahmed and Wahid Al Mahfuz.
Ward General Secretary Shihab Uddin, Convenor of Mahanagar Krishak League AKM Shahjahan Kochi and party leader Mehdi Hasan Khokon will contest against current Councilor and Awami League leader Mozaffar Rashidi Reza in ward number 30.
Five candidates in ward number 31 are from Awami League. They are - Incumbent Councillor Arif Hossain Mithu, Ward President Pitu Molla, General Secretary Nazrul Islam Talukder, former president Rafiqul Islam and Hasan Chan.
Besides, three each from Awami League and other organizations in wards 1, 5, 20, 21 and 23 and two each in wards 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 15, 16, 17, 19, 22, 28 and 29 are contesting.
This year, Awami League has a single candidate in only five of the 31 wards.
They are SM Khurshid Ahmed Tona (elected unopposed) in Ward No 13, ZA Mahmud Don (elected unopposed) in Ward no 24, Ali Akbar Tipu in no 25, Ghulam Mawla Shanu who has recently joined the party in no 26 and Rafiuddin Ahmed Rafi, brother of the current Army chief, in no 27.