Dhaka, Jan 24 – Mayoral candidates both the Awami League and the BNP for Dhaka North and South city corporations polls are going to place their electoral manifestoes separately through press conferences this week to disclose their plan of action and electoral pledges.
Of them, the two AL mayoral candidates—Atiqul Islam for Dhaka North will place his election manifestoes on January 26 while Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh for Dhaka South will also place his poll manifesto someday in the week.
BNP candidates Tabith Awal for Dhaka North and Engr Ishraque Hossain for Dhaka South will public their poll manifestoes separately on January 27. Tabith Awal is likely to announce the poll manifesto at chairperson’s Gulshan office while Ishrque Hossain at party central office, according to party sources.
The ruling party candidates while carrying out poll campaign claimed that there is a congenial atmosphere to hold the two city polls slated for February 1 in a free and fair manner while the BNP mayoral candidates alleged that conspiracy is being hatched to drive them away from the field of the elections.
Meanwhile, the two BNP mayoral candidates yesterday visited the Mazar of late Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Annisul Haq at Banani graveyard and paid rich tribute to his departed soul. Annisul was elected DNCC mayor with Awami League’s ticket in April 2015 defeating Tabith Awal. BNP had boycotted that election halfway through.
The ruling Awami League nominated candidates are planning to unveil their election manifesto for the upcoming Dhaka city corporation elections within this week.
“AL mayoral candidate for Dhaka North City Corporation, Atiqul Islam will unveil his election manifesto through a press conference at 10.30 am at Lake Shore hotel in the city on Sunday,” said Saifuddin Imon, media coordinator of Atiqul Islam, told Journalists yesterday.
Insiders said AL mayoral candidate Atiqul Islam outlined his election manifesto with a lot of lofty promises to make Dhaka city a modern one.
Here is Atiqul’s some election promises that might be included in his manifesto. These are-taking necessary steps to modernize the city’s traffic management and drainage system, preventing environmental pollution, activating Nagar app, digitizing and automating of all kinds of transactions and taxes, planting trees and encouraging city agriculture to build a green city, building new playgrounds for children in all the areas of north city, returning footpaths to the citizens, bringing back discipline on roads and ensuring a safe journey for the commuters, and starting development projects for the newly added wards of north city.
Besides, AL mayoral candidate for DSCC Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh is also planning to place his election manifesto within this week with full of promises to make the historic old Dhaka a beautiful city.
In his election campaign, Taposh said at a different time that all basic civic facilities would be ensured for the city dwellers within 90 days if he was elected and he will dedicated himself as a servant for city dwellers.
He also promised that DSCC will remain open for the city dwellers 24/7 to hear the problems of city residents and will take necessary steps to resolve their problems.
During his campaign trail in the city, Taposh on Friday said there will be no waterlogging in the capital if he is elected mayor in the February 1 election.
“I will work for resolving the waterlogging problem in the city if I am elected in the upcoming polls. We want to build a clean Dhaka for its dwellers through a master plan,” Taposh said this in front of Madhwa Gaudiya Math in Narinda area in the city during the election campaign.
Taposh said millions of people are living in the city but they are not getting their desired services.
“I will put importance on waste management, air pollution control, green environment, playground, tackling traffic jam and corruption if elected,” he said.
AL leader Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, ward councillors, Jubo league leaders and many activists were also present there.
Speaking at a roadside rally at Badda Lutfun Tower, Tabith Awal said he was attacked by his opponents as part of their conspiracy to stay them from contesting the polls but he asserted that they won’t go back.
He said he walked about 325 kilometres in the last two weeks while carrying out his poll campaign from door to door.
Referring to dying many people in the city of Dengue fever, the BNP mayoral candidate said if voted he would investigate the death cases due to the viral disease and take legal action against those failed to discharge their responsibilities to prevent it.
ASM Abdur Rab, president of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, a component of Jatiya Oikyafront, said they took part in the city polls as part of their movement to free BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and restore the democracy.
“None could resist the victory of the sheaf of paddy. They (AL) for fear of it,” he observed.
Rab also called upon the police administration to play a neutral role and not go against the people.
BNP leaders Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and Shamsuzzaman Dudu, among others, accompanied Tabith during his electioneering.
Talking to reporters, BNP mayoral candidate for Dhaka South Ishraque Hossain said despite his opponent party was in power for 13 years, they failed to ensure the betterment of the city dwellers.
“They could not bring any significant changes. I don’t think they would be able to do in future also.
He carried out poll campaigns in different parts of the old city including Faridabad, Bangla Bazar and sought vote for the sheaf of paddy, the poll symbol of the BNP.
In another development, the BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday alleged that the ruling party was conspiring to hamper their party’s victory in the elections to two Dhaka city corporations.
‘As Awami League has become politically bankrupt, it’s now conspiring to thwart BNP’s victory in the two city polls in various ways,’ he said.
Fakhrul came up with the allegation while talking to reporters after offering fateha at the grave of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia’s younger son Arafat Rahman Koko at Banani Graveyard, marking his fifth death anniversary.
He alleged that the ruling party was attacking their party candidates and their supporters physically to force them to quit the city election race. ‘They’re hatching various plots to keep us away from the elections.’
The BNP leader said no-one would be able to prevent the victory of their mayoral candidates, Tabith Awal and Ishraque Hossain, as there had been a mass wave in favour of the ‘Sheaf of Paddy, their party’s election symbol. – Staff Reporter
