At least 35 incumbent Ward Councillors elected in 2015 with the tickets from ruling Bangladesh Awami League did not get party nominations in the upcoming elections to the two city corporations of capital Dhaka.
Those 35 Ward Councillors have been off-sided due to their alleged involvement with various criminal and anti-social acts like illegal casino business, extortion, grabbing and drugs peddling, said sources in the Awami League.
Some of those 35 Ward Councillors are now staying either in jail or absconding abroad.
The party sources also said the Awami League opted for new candidates with clean image comparatively instead of those Ward Councillors. Of them, 19 new Ward Councillor candidates have been nominated for the election in the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and 16 for the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC).
Among the new faces, two candidates have been nominated from the women.
Those Ward Councillors, who have been off-sided from the DNCC elections, are Md Sajjad Hossain (Ward-2), Kazi Zahirul Islam Manik (Ward-3), Mobashewer Chowdhury (Ward-7), Kazi Tipu Sultan (Ward-8), Md Iqbal Hossain Titu (Ward-12), Humayun Rashid Johnny Ward-14), Dr. Zinnat Ali (Ward-17), Mohammad Nasir (Ward-20), Mostaq Ahmed (23), Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (Ward-25), Habibur Rahman Mizan (32), Tarequzzaman Rajib (Ward-33), Shafiqul Islam (Ward-39), Faruq Ahmmed (Ward-42), Masudur Rahman Dewan (Ward-43), and Anisur Rahman (47).
Ward-32 Councillor Habibur Rahman Mizan, also the general secretary of Mohammadpur Thana unit Awami League, and Tarequzzaman Rajib (Ward-33) are now in jail.
Besides, Wahid Hasan Miltan (Ward-1), Md Sultan Miah (Ward-8), AKM Mominul Huq Sayeed (Ward-9), Golam Ashraf Talukder (Ward-12), Mostofa Zaman Popy (Ward-13), Mohammad Selim (Ward-14), Zakir Hossain Swapan (Ward-15), Hossain Haider Hiru (16), Salauddin Ahmed Dhali (Ward-17), Jasim Uddin Ahmed (Ward-18), Munsi Kamruzzaman (Ward-19), MA Hamid Khan (Ward-21), Tariqul Islam Sajeeb (Ward-22), Anwar Parvej Badal (Ward-28), Rafiqul Islam Russel (Ward-31), Md Billal Shah (Ward-32), Awal Hossain (Ward-33), Moynal Huq Manju (39), Abdus Sahed Montu (Ward-44), Abdul Qadir (Ward-45), Md Abul Kalam Azad (Ward-74) have been rejected by the Awami League in the DSCC election.
Meanwhile, incumbent Ward Councillors Abu Ahmed Mannafi (Ward-38) and Humayun Kabir (Ward-23) did not seek nominations as they have been elected as the president and general secretary respectively of the Dhaka South unit of Awami League.
According to sources, among the Ward Councillors, AKM Mominul Huq Sayeed (Ward-9) and Moynul Huq Manju (Ward-39) are now in jail.
The elections to the two city corporations are scheduled to be held on January 30. All the major parties are taking part in the elections. Fazle Nur Taposh, Ishraque Hosdain and Habibur Rahman Milon are contesting for the DSCC mayoral post respectively from Awami League, BNP and Jatiya Party.
Besides, incumbent DNCC Mayor Atiqul Islam and Tabith Awal are contesting for DNCC mayoral post.