Awami League mayoral aspirant and former Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) president Atiqul Islam has submitted nomination papers for the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) by-polls.
Atiqul filed his nomination papers with the Returning Officer Abul Kashem at the Returning Office of DNCC at Electoral Training Institute (ETI) in Agargaon on Tuesday.
"If I am elected by the people’s vote, I will help develop DNCC to rise to a standard as it was done by the late mayor Annisul Huq," he said adding: “People will reject me if I do not do so.”
“If I am elected, I will work with honesty and sincerity for the people as they are the source of all power and I want to contest the election with the people’s support,” he said.
He further said he will develop mobile apps for the city dwellers to know their problems and sufferings.
Atiqul promised to continue the unfinished projects started by the late mayor Annisul Huq
He said: “I will work hard and bring the city to the position that Annisul Huq did.”
Atiqul expressed his gratitude to the Awami League and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for nominating him as their candidate.
He was accompanied by former governor of Bangladesh Bank Md Farashuddin, Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce & Industries (FBCCI) President Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin, BGMEA President Siddiqur Rahman, and Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) Dhaka President Nihad Kabir.
The Returning Officer Abul Kashem, while briefing the media, said Atiqul abided by the electoral code of conduct during the submission of his nomination paper.
As of Tuesday, 25 mayoral nomination papers were sold while one nomination paper has been submitted.
Besides, 197 councillor aspirants collected nomination papers against the 18 new wards of DNCC, while 30 women aspirants purchased nomination papers against six reserved seats in the same wards. Of them, only 12 councillor aspirants submitted their nomination papers to the Returning Officer, he said.
Abul Kashem added that election symbols will be allocated on February 10. Only then can the candidates organize campaigns.
“No one can campaign until February 10,” he said.
He warned that legal measures will be taken against if anyone violates the code of conduct and obstructs the roads while collecting and submitting nomination papers.
The Election Commission will take action if posters and banners are not removed from the city within the stipulated time, which has been to Wednesday, Kashem said.
The deadline for submitting nomination papers submission is Wednesday.
The Election Commission has fixed February 28 for the DNCC mayoral by-election, as well as the polls to elect councillors in the 36 new wards added to Dhaka north and south city corporations.
