CPB names mayoral candidates for three city corporations: Munna in Rajshahi, Sohel in Dhaka North, Manjur Moin in Dhaka South
Photo: Collected
The Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) has announced three mayoral candidates for the Rajshahi, Dhaka North and Dhaka South city corporation elections. Ragib Ahsan Munna will contest in Rajshahi, Hasan Hafizur Rahman Sohel in Dhaka North and Manjur Moin in Dhaka South.
The announcement came today, Tuesday, in a statement signed by the party’s general secretary Abdullah Kafi Ratan. The statement said the names of CPB-nominated and backed candidates for various local government bodies would be formally announced in phases in line with the decisions of the party forum.
Ragib Ahsan Munna is a CPB presidium member; he was formerly vice-president (VP) of the Rajshahi University Central Students’ Union (RUCSU). Hasan Hafizur Rahman Sohel is president of the party’s Dhaka Metropolitan North district committee. And Manjur Moin is a member of the CPB central committee and general secretary of the Dhaka Metropolitan South district committee.
In the statement, Abdullah Kafi Ratan said the party is fighting to build city corporations into truly autonomous city governments for the sake of empowering local government and establishing a democratic state. In his view, it is not possible to build a democratic state system without making local government effective and strong.
He also said effective initiatives are needed to ensure city dwellers’ civic rights, planned urbanisation, removal of traffic congestion and waterlogging, modern waste management, safe and affordable public transport, and clean water and healthcare. City corporations must also play a role in protecting the housing and livelihood rights of people of all classes, including the lower and middle classes.
Beyond civic services, Ratan called on city corporations to become active in creating local employment, developing entrepreneurs and increasing productive economic activity.
Calling for an end to party dominance and occupation established in city corporations without votes, he said the responsibility of local government must be handed to people’s representatives elected through free, fair and participatory polls. City dwellers would then be able to exercise their democratic rights effectively in the development, planning and running of their own cities.
Sources
Original report: Ajker Patrika
