Mymensingh city gets its first mayor

Awami League candidate Ekramul Haque Titu is set to be elected uncontested in the maiden Mymensingh City Corporation (MCC) election as his only rival quit the race yesterday.

Jatiya Party candidate Jahangir Ahmed made the announcement yesterday at a press conference in a city hotel, making Ekramul the lone candidate for the polls set to be held on May 5.

Today is the last date for withdrawing candidacy.

Ekramul, the incumbent administrator of the MCC, is also the vice-president of Mymensingh AL. He was also the ex-mayor of the now defunct Mymensingh municipality. 

Our correspondent reported that Jahangir, also president of the Mymensingh JP unit, announced his withdrawal from the election as a show of “honour to the AL president Sheikh Hasina and for the greater unity of the grand alliance”.

Organising Secretary of Mymensingh JP Mosharraf Hossain, among others, was present at the press conference.

Five candidates filed nomination papers. The scrutiny of the papers was held on April 10, during which the papers of three independent aspirants were declared invalid for loan default and faulty papers, said Md Alimuzzaman, returning officer for the election. 

The candidates are Abu Musa Sarker, Biswajit Bhaduri and Shahidul Islam Swapon Mondal.

 On March 25, the Election Commission announced the election schedule for the maiden MCC polls.

A total of 258 aspirants for 33 ward councillor posts, including 70 for 11 women councillor, posts are in the race. Electronic voting machines (EVMs) will be used in all 130 voting centres in 33 wards.

On April 2 last year, the government recognised Mymensingh as the country's 12th city corporation.

AL mayoral candidate Atiqul Islam won the Dhaka North City Corporation by-election, boycotted by the major opposition parties.

Last year, AL candidates won the mayoral positions at Khulna, Gazipur, Barisal and Rajshahi city corporation elections while the BNP candidate won in Sylhet.