AL Picks Candidates for 5th Phase Municipal Polls

Awami League on Saturday selected its candidates for the fifth phase elections to 31 municipalities, billed for February 28.

The announcement of the selected names came after a meeting of Bangladesh Awami League’s Local Government Representative Nomination Board, held at Ganobhaban with AL President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

The meeting also selected candidates for four Upazilas, Poba Upazila in Rajshahi, Shoilkupa Upazila in Jhenidah, Modhukhali Upazila in Faridpur and Debidwar Upazila in Cumilla, and three union parishads, Dalbuganj in Patiakhali, Gerda in Faridpur and Laxmipur Model in Laxmipur.

The fifth phase polls to 31 municipalities will be held on February 28 as per the schedule announced by the Election Commission (EC).

February 2 is the deadline for submission of nomination papers. According to the schedule, the date for scrutiny of nomination papers is February 4, while the last date for withdrawal of candidature is February 11.

The municipalities that are up for polls in this phase include Haragach in Rangpur, Charghat and Durgapur in Rajshahi, Nachole in Chapainawabganj, Joypurhat, Bogura, Kaliganj and Maheshpur in Jhenidah, Jashore and Keshabpur in Jashore, Bhola and Charfession in Bhola, Madaripur and Shibchar in Madaripur, Nandail in Mymensingh, Dewanganj, Jamalpur, Islampur and Madarganj in Jamalpur.

The rest are Singair in Manikganj, Kaliganj in Gazipur, Bhairab in Kishoreganj, Habiganj, Brahmanbaria, Matlab and Shahrasti in Chandpur, Raipur in Lakshmipur, Mirsarai, Baraiyarhat, Raozan and Rangunia in Chattogram.

In the first phase, elections to 24 municipalities were held on December 28 while the second phase polls to 60 municipalities took place on January 16.

The third phase polls to 64 municipalities will be held on January 30 and the fourth phase elections to 56 municipalities will take place on February 14.