In a joint statement, BNP leaders and Khulna City Corporation ward commissioners Kazi Rashed, Shaikh Gausul Azam, Shaikh Hafizur Rahman and Moniruzzaman Mamun, member-secretary of Khulna city BNP convening committee Shahruzzaman Martuza and Jubo Dal leaders Manzur Hasan Apu and Nazmul Huda Sagor demanded alliance ticket for the Mayor and expulsion of former whip Ashraf Hossain from BNP.

They alleged that Ashraf Hossain had cast personal aspersions on BNP senior joint secretary Tarique Rahman. He has no right to get nomination for his alleged involvement in anti-party activities, said the BNP leaders loyal to the Mayor. Ashraf Hossain is not a man from Khulna, they said in the joint statement. Ashraf Hossain hails from Comilla.

On the other hand, the faction led by former lawmaker Nurul Islam has demanded expulsion of Mayor Shaikh Tayebur Rahman from BNP as he threatened to quit the party if he is not nominated for Khulna-3 in the coming election. Tayebur made the threat at a press conference in Dhaka on Sunday.

Meanwhile, former general secretary of Khulna city BNP Nazrul Islam Manju belonging to the Nurul Islam faction yesterday alleged that Mayor Tayebur is 'in fact blackmailing BNP chairperson by giving threats to quit the party. He (Tayebur) had also threatened to quit BNP after he was denied nomination from Khulna-3 in 2001 election, Nazrul Islam said.