KCC elections: 195 submit nominations

As many as 195 candidates, including Awami League nominated mayor candidate Talukder Abdul Khaleque, submitted nomination papers to participate in Khulna City Corporation (KCC) elections on Tuesday, the last day for the nomination paper submission.

Among them, seven candidates have submitted their nominations for the post of mayor, 149 for the position of councillors and 39 for the position of reserved councillors, said Md Alauddin, returning officer of the KCC election which is scheduled to be held on 16 May.

All the information provided by the candidates will be reviewed on 18 May. If anyone wants to withdraw the nomination paper, it has to be done by 25 May. Election symbols will be allocated to the contestants on 26 May. All preparations have been taken to hold a fair election, he added.

Those who have submitted their nomination paper for the post of the mayor are Bangladesh Awami League nominated Talukder Abdul Khaleque, president of Khulna Metropolitan Awami League; Islami Andolan Bangladesh nominated Md Abdul Awal, amir of Khulna Metropolitan of the party; Jatiya Party nominated Md Shafiqul Islam Madhu, central vice chairman of the party; Zaker Party nominated SM Sabbir Hossain; and three independent candidates Syed Kamrul Islam, SM Shafiqur Rahman and Al Amin Md Abdullah Chowdhury.

Talukder Abdul Khaleque previously participated in the mayoral election for Awami League in 2008, 2013 and 2018. He won in 2008 and 2018 but was defeated by the BNP candidate in 2013.

Md Abdul Awal participated in the KCC election for the first time. In the 2018 election, Muzzammil Haque was the mayoral candidate on behalf of the Islami Andolan Bangladesh.

Md Shafiqul Islam Madhu participated in the KCC election in 2013 as a mayoral candidate nominated by the Jatiya Party. 

Among independent candidates this year, SM Shafiqur Rahman participated as a mayoral candidate in the KCC election for the Jatiya Party in 2018.

On the other hand, Zaker Party nominated SM Sabbir Hossain, and independent candidates Syed Kamrul Islam and Al Amin Md Abdullah Chowdhury are participating in the election for the first time. None of them was seen to be politically active in politics before.