June 17 Ctg City Corporation Election
Rivals befriend Mohiuddin, BNP men reassure Manjur
Immediate past mayor, also a candidate in the coming election, ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury spends a happy time with voters during his mass contact programme at Jhoutala Wireless Colony in the city, right BNP chief whip Zainal Abedin Farroque and Chittagong city BNP president Amir Khasru Mahmud introduce Chittagong City Corporation mayoral candidate M Manjur Alam at a discussion on the 29th anniversary of death of party founder and late president Ziaur Rahman yesterday. Photo: STAR
The long-standing gap between Awami League-backed mayoral candidate ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury and his intra-party rivals is being bridged after Thursday's meeting with the party chief in Dhaka. It has been learned that many of them have already extended their support to Mohiuddin for the June 17 Chittagong City Corporation poll. Besides, mayoral candidate M Solaiman Farid, backed by Islamic Front Bangladesh, withdrew from the race yesterday. AL city unit member AJM Nasir Uddin Chowdhury, with whom Mohiuddin had long-drawn conflicts, has also decided to extend his support for Mohiuddin. AL Chittagong (North) district president Mosharraf Hossain, MP and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JCD) executive president Mainuddin Khan Badal, MP also met Mohiuddin at the Nagorik Committee office Saturday evening to lend support to him. Relations between Mohiuddin and Mosharraf were strained in the past on various issues. On the other hand, Mohiuddin opposed Badal's nomination from Chandgaon constituency as an AL-led alliance candidate in last parliamentary polls. Earlier on Friday, AL (South) district unit president Akhteruzzaman Chowdhury Babu, MP went to the Nagorik Committee office to meet Mohiuddin and expressed his support for him. Mohiuddin yesterday started his electioneering from Mohra ward around 9:30am and went to Pahartali ward. He joined a view exchange meeting at a local community centre at Katgar in Patenga ward and went to Dewan Bazar in the afternoon. He was visiting Kattali and Faillatali Bazar areas in the evening till filing of this report. Meanwhile, BNP-backed and Chattagram Unnyan Andolan candidate Mohammad Manjur Alam Manju continued electioneering with the 29th death anniversary of BNP founding president Ziaur Rahman yesterday. He sought votes to help build Chittagong as one of the most beautiful and developed cities without waterlogging, landslides and different public anomalies. As Manju attended the death anniversary programme organised by BNP Chittagong (south) district unit at a community centre, all leaders and activists assured to work unitedly for him. Leaders and activists of BNP and its front organisations in Chittagong also vowed to stand guard at the polling centres and Election Commission office against any possible rigging or manipulation. BNP Standing Committee member Goyeshwar Chandra Roy attended the programme as chief guest. He said BNP has nominated Manju in the greater interest of Chittagong. "We have only one mayoral candidate and we have to work from our respective position to ensure his win. Working for BNP-backed candidate would mean showing respect and honour to late president Ziaur Rahman and his political ideology," he added. Amir Khasru Mahmud at the programme urged all to remain alert against casting of false votes and manipulation of poll results. Among others, former chip whip Syed Wahidul Alam, BNP Chittagong city unit vice-presidents Dostagir Chowdhury and Abu Sufian addressed the ceremony chaired by BNP Chittagong (south) district unit President Jafrul Islam Chowdhury. Earlier, Manjur Alam Manju accompanied by BNP Chief Whip Zainul Abdin Farroque visited the first mazar of Ziaur Rahman at Pahartali in Raozan and offered prayers. He also visited Catholic Church at Patharghata where he met the religious leaders and people of the Christian community. He also met Muslim religious leaders and devotees at Baluardighi Khanka Sharif and sought votes.
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