The National Citizen Party (NCP) is set to reshuffle its mayoral nominations for the two Dhaka city corporations, with Spokesperson Asif Mahmud Sajeeb Bhuiyan likely to contest from Dhaka north and Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary from Dhaka south.
The move comes after both leaders changed their voter registration areas. Asif Mahmud shifted his voter registration from Dhaka south to Aftabnagar under Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), while Nasiruddin Patwary moved his voter area from Uttara in Dhaka north to the Dhaka-8 parliamentary constituency under Dhaka south.
A senior NCP leader, speaking to TIMES of Bangladesh on condition of anonymity, said the party leadership had decided that Asif Mahmud would contest from Dhaka north and Nasiruddin Patwary from Dhaka south. The party is expected to make the decision official soon, the leader added.
Asif Mahmud applied to change his voter area using Form-13 prescribed by the Election Commission (EC). His application was approved after the necessary verification and examination of official documents. His voter registration is now under Aftabnagar in DNCC.
Patwary was previously registered as a voter in Uttara under DNCC. He also applied to change his voter area using Form-13. Following verification and examination of the required documents, the EC approved the application. He is now listed as a voter in the Dhaka-8 parliamentary constituency under Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC).
Under Section 7 of the Local Government (City Corporation) Act, 2009, a person is eligible to contest for mayor if they are a Bangladeshi citizen, at least 25 years old and their name is included in the voter list of the relevant city corporation.
The proposed switch marks a change from the NCP’s earlier mayoral nominations for the two Dhaka city corporations.
On 29 March this year, the party announced its candidates for five city corporations at an emergency press conference of its Local Government Election Management Committee at the NCP’s temporary central office in Banglamotor, Dhaka. NCP Convener and Chief Whip of the Opposition in Parliament Nahid Islam made the announcement.
At the time, Asif Mahmud Sajeeb Bhuiyan was named the party’s mayoral candidate for Dhaka south, while Ariful Islam Adib, party’s senior joint convener and convener of its Dhaka north unit, was named its candidate for Dhaka north.
Sources within the NCP said the party had changed its strategy with the aim of winning both city corporations.
Speaking at a press conference on 3 September, Sarjis Alam, NCP chief organiser for the northern region, said the local elections would be contested independently and that the party’s organisational capacity was already being strengthened rapidly at the grassroots level.
Asked about the proposed change in nominations, Sarwar Tushar, a member of the NCP’s political council, told TIMES, “The NCP will formally announce this within the next couple of days.”
