Ivy to resign as N'ganj mayor Wednesday

Narayanganj Mayor Dr Salina Hayat Ivy will submit her resignation from the office at the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives on Wednesday so she can run in the upcoming Narayanganj City Corporation elections. “I received a letter from the Election Commission on November 15 saying I must resign from my post as the mayor if I am willing to run for the office again,” Ivy told the Dhaka Tribune on Monday. “So following the Election Commission's instruction, I will submit my resignation at the ministry.” She further said this was the first time she was required to do it as she did not have to resign the last time she ran for mayor. “But this time there is a writ filed with the High Court which prevents an incumbent mayor from running in a city corporation election.” She will submit her nomination papers for the election on Thursday. Ivy was elected as the mayor of Narayanganj City Corporation in 2011; before then, she was elected as the chairman of the now defunct Narayanganj municipality in 2003. The deadline for nomination submission for the polls is Thursday, and the deadline to withdraw candidacy is on December 4. The polls will be held on December 22.

Ivy, Shamim skip meeting at party office

Both Ivy and Shamim Osman, Awami League lawmaker from Narayanganj-4 constituency, were absent from a meeting they were asked to attend at the party office in Dhanmondi, Dhaka Monday evening. Insiders in the party office said the decision to hold the meeting was made by party leaders including General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Sunday. Chances of seeing the bitter rivals, who have often spoken publicly against each other, sparked interest among the Awami League activists who expected that something new might happen. But neither Ivy nor Shamim showed up for the meeting. However, when contacted, Awami League Office Secretary Abdus Sobhan Golap said he was not aware of any such meeting. When contacted, Ivy refused to speak about the meeting. Shamim said the chances of him going to the meeting were thin. Sources said Obaidul Quader arrived at the party office in the evening and left around 8:30pm.