Atghoria to hold its first municipal poll June 12
The people of Atghoria municipality in the district will elect their first mayor and councillors in the local government election on June 12.
Five candidates are contesting for mayorship while 56 councillor candidates are in the race in nine wards of the municipality with 9,500 voters, said sources at the returning officer's office.
The mayor candidates are Md Abdul Kuddus Mollah, president of Atghoria upazila unit of ruling Awami League (AL), Md Shahidul Islam Ratan, secretary of the same unit, Md Aminul Haque, president of upazila unit of BNP, Md Dalim Mollah and Md Abdul Mozid Khan.
AL has extended its support for Shahidul Islam Ratan while Abdul Kuddus Mollah is contesting as the 'rebel' candidate.
Aminul Haque is the BNP-backed candidate while Dalim Mollah and Abdul Mozid Khan are contesting as 'non-political' candidates.
In the affidavits attached with the nomination papers, Kuddus Mollah and Shahidul Islam Ratan mentioned that they are self-educated although they have no formal education. Abdul Mozid Khan mentioned that he knows how to read and write but he has no formal academic qualification.
Dalim Mollah mentioned that he has the knowledge of literacy.
Aminul Haque in his affidavit mentioned that he passed the HSC.
According to his affidavit, he was accused in seven cases including corruption cases. He was earlier acquitted in four of the cases while three other cases are under still under trial.
Meanwhile, some 'conscious' people of the municipality have expressed their dissatisfaction about the qualification of the mayoral candidates.
“Mayoral election in Atghoria municipality is going to be held for the first time but it seems that educated and clean people do not have the ability to be elected. And so, we will have to select our leaders from the candidates who are not well educated,” said retired primary school teacher Md Easin, also a resident of Debottar village under the municipality.
As this correspondent talked about the matter, District Election Officer Md Faridul Islam said, "There is no bar regarding academic qualification for contesting in the election. As per the order of the Election Commission, personal information of the candidates is made known. Now the voters will apply their judgement to choose their representatives."
The then BNP-led four-party alliance government formed Atghoria municipality comprising areas from Debottar and Chandva unions of the upazila on July 20, 2006.
Upazila BNP President Md Aminul Haque was appointed as the administrator of the municipality while a case concerning area dispute led to the indefinite postponement of the election. The case was settled this year and the election schedule was announced last month.
Atghoria Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Rabiul Islam, also the returning officer of the election, said his office has made sufficient preparations to hold the election peacefully.
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