The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) grassroots leaders are willing to stay unified in serving anyone nominated from the party, although they are confident that the most eligible candidate will be nominated as Mayor in the Gazipur City Corporation election. BNP leaders said: “Since our party is not in power, we feel it best to be unified on a unanimous decision.” The top two candidates who may get nominated are former mayor MA Mannan and Hasan Uddin Sarkar, a former member of parliament. Their respective followers, however, are divided. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda announced the election schedule for Gazipur and Khulna on March 31. The elections for these two corporations will be held on May 15.
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Gazipur City Corporation consists of Gazipur district and Tongi areas, which make up a total of 57 wards. Delowar Hossain, BNP activist of Hatiabo area, said: “Mannan is a BNP activist, so he has been unable to contribute during the Awami League rule and has been harassed repeatedly by the government. “There are 33 cases against him and he has been locked up for 22 months. So he will be the recipient of the sympathies from the party voters and general people alike,” he added. A resident of Tongi bazar area and metropolitan BNP member Babul Sarkar said: “Hasan Uddin is a visionary who has the ability to motivate people as well as work for the welfare of the people. So he is the most eligible candidate for the position of Mayor.”
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Election Commission Secretary Helaluddin Ahmed said: “The first ever election for Gazipur City Corporation was held on July 6, 2013. It will be 5 years since initiation on September 4, 2018.” Gazipur sadar upazila consists of 57 general wards and 19 protected wards over 329.90km, according to upazila election officer, Md Aslam. There are 11,64,616 voters as of now, compared to 10,26,930 in 2013.