The ruling Awami League will today decide which of its two leaders it will support in the election to the position of the mayor of the Narayanganj City Corporation polls scheduled for October 30.
The Awami League president, Sheikh Hasina, also the prime minister, at a meeting with some senior leaders in her party office at Dhanmondi on Saturday afternoon instructed presidium member Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury to sit with both Shamim Osman and Selina Hayat Ivy on Sunday morning and finalise party support for one of them, sources attending the meeting said.
'The decision on party support for the candidate for the Narayanganj City Corporation elections will be made on Sunday,' the Awami League's joint general secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif told reporters after the meeting.
The sources said that Sajeda, also the deputy leader of the parliament, would sit with Shamim and Ivy at the party chief's Dhandondi office at 10:00am and made
a decision through a discussion.
'The decision will be made on Sunday after meeting with the aspirant mayoral candidates,' AL presidium member Matia Chowdhury, also the agriculture minister, told New Age, adding that the both were dedicated and popular leaders and the party would make a decision through an understanding.
AL leader Faruk Khan, also the commerce minister, told New Age that the issue of selecting party-backed candidate would be settled at a meeting in presence the of both the candidates on Sunday.
Hasina on October 2 called Ivy and Osman to her residence, Ganabhaban, and tried to make them understand about the need for a single candidate in greater interest of the party and urged them to be ready for this.
Although the district unit AL convener, SM Akram Khan, had also submitted his nomination paper for the mayoral election, he was not called by the prime minister for negotiation.
Sources said that Hasina also instructed party leaders to launch campaigns among the people in favour of the government, pointing out its success in various sectors and strengthening party activities by holding all the council sessions at the grass roots to prepare the party for the next general elections.
She also suggested that the party men should point out the failure of the past BNP government.
The meeting also decided to hold a rally in Nilphamari on Wednesday which the prime minister will address.
The sources said that Hasina also warned the leaders and activists of the Juba League and the Chhatra League not to get involved in crimes, corruption and violence.
She also approved five local party committees — Chapainawabganj, Rajshahi and Sylhet district units and Sylhet and Rajshahi city units.
The prime minister instructed AL leaders not to create any obstruction to the long march of the BNP that is beginning on Monday and termed long march a peaceful political programme.
'We will not oppose any peaceful political programmes of the opposition but any subversive activities in the name of politics will not be allowed,' Hanif, also the party's spokesman, said.
AL presidium members Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Matia Chowdhury and Yousuf Hossain, among others, attended the meeting.
