Awami League leaders in Barisal have finally succeeded in persuading three rebel mayoral candidates for Muladi municipality to withdraw their nominations after long negotiations.
The three are Jubo League central committee member Delwar Hossain Hawladar, Sramik League leader Didarul Ahsan Khan and Muktijoddha Projonmo League Central President Aziz Hawladar.
Talukder Md Yunus, secretary of Awami League’s Barisal district unit and lawmaker for Barisal 2, said the rebel candidates had agreed to withdraw their nominations in favour of the upazila secretary, the incumbent mayor and the party-backed candidate Shafiquzzaman Rubel.
“We have also assured the rebel candidates that we will evaluate their sacrifices and contributions to the party,” he said.
Another rebel mayoral candidate of Awami League for Banaripara municipality Golam Saleh Manju Molla agreed to withdraw his nomination in favour of advocate Subhash Chandra Shil, who has been fielded by the party.
On Thursday night, Barisal Awami League leaders held a meeting at Mohishapota Government Primary School in Banaripara in the presence of the rebel candidates and Golam Sarwar, editor of Bangla daily Samakal.
It was decided in the meeting that Golam Saleh, incumbent mayor of Banaripara municipality, will withdraw his nomination in favour of advocate Subhash, the upazila unit president of Awami League.
An extended meeting of the party’s upazila unit was also held at the same venue where advocate Subhash resigned from his post of the upazila Awami League president.
Golam Saleh, who was the upazila Awami League vice-president, was given the post of the upazila Awami League president for the decision to withdraw his nomination.
All rebel candidates said they would work for the party-backed candidate at the instructions of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also the president of the party.
Shahalam Mridha, president of BNP’s Udoykathi union unit, is the only rebel mayoral candidate of the BNP for Banaripara municipality.
Ebaidul Haque Chan, president of BNP’s Barisal unit, said Shahalam had been given two choices – withdrawing his nomination or quitting the party.
Elections will be held in Barisal’s six municipalities - Gournadi, Banaripara, Wazirpur, Muladi, Mehendiganj and Bakerganj.
Nomination forms of 27 mayoral candidates, 202 councillor candidates and 59 reserved-seat female councillor candidates have been declared valid after scrutiny.
Candidates can withdraw their nominations by December 13 and the final list of contestants will be published after that.