He said: “I did not have any suspicion over the calibre of Ivy, but I had another choice,” said the Awami League leader, who is well known as the arch rival of Ivy, while addressing a rally at Nasim Osman Memorial park in Narayanganj city in the afternoon.
Pointing fingers at BNP leaders, he said: “Many people have forgotten that Narayanganj is the birthplace of Awami League, the ruling party, and there is no chance of boat’s defeat in the upcoming polls. People, who are talking against Ivy, should know that I am with her.”
He also said leaders and activists who were loyal to him would seek votes for Ivy from today.
“There are some disagreements between me and Ivy, but we will work for the greater interest of Awami League.”
He also demanded speedy trial for Monir, Towki and seven murder cases.
Shamim Osman, also an influential component in Narayanganj politics, has recently said he would support Anwar Hossain in the election, though Anwar worked for Ivy in the previous city election.
But Shamim and his supporters started changing their stand after Ivy received nomination from Awami League on October 18.
The decision was taken at a meeting of local government nomination board held at Gono Bhaban, residence of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
On October 17, Ivy wrote a letter to the premier seeking nomination from the ruling party’s chief.
On October 15, Narayanganj city unit Awami League in an extended meeting proposed the names of three leaders, excluding Ivy, to central committee as mayoral candidates for the city polls which created widespread criticism across Bangladesh.
The city will go to polls on December 22. As per the schedule, the deadline for the submission of nomination papers was November 24, while the date for the scrutiny of the nomination papers was on November 26-27 and the last date for the withdrawal of candidature was December 4.
The election symbols were allocated among the contestants on December 5.
The maiden election to NCC was held on October 30, 2011. Ivy was elected country’s first female city mayor defeating Awami League-backed candidate Shamim Osman.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission (EC) will sit in a meeting with law enforcement and intelligence agencies today to finalise the security measures need to be taken for the elections to the NCC.
The meeting will be held at 11am at NEC auditorium in the city’s Sher-e Bangla Nagar area with Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin in the chair, said EC Secretariat’s Assistant Secretary Rajib Ahsan yesterday.
The Commission will finalise the security measures for the elections and take the decision whether the army will be deployed in the NCC election following the meeting.
Top representatives of different law enforcement agencies, including Police, Rab, BGB, Ansar and Coastguard, the Armed Force Division, intelligence agencies and the Home Ministry will join the meeting and place their opinions and suggestions for the security of the elections.
Thursday, June 04, 2026
