Chittagong: Mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury resigned and soon submitted his nomination papers Thursday to stand for a fourth straight term in the June 17 Chittagong City Corporation elections.

Prior to submission of his nomination to the returning officer at Chittagong Election Commission office at Rahmatganj, he submitted his resignation letter to Manzur Elahi, chief executive officer of Chittagong City Corporation, at around 10 am.

As per rule, panel mayor Zahirul Alam Dobhash will be discharging the duties of Mayor in the run-up to the vote, which is billed crucial in deciding the fate of the patriarch of the port city, Mohiuddin, the longest serving of all mayors in Bangladesh.

His sidekick in the city Awami League and also in the city corporation, M Manjur Alam, switched sides into main opposition BNP and emerged as his main challenger in the race for the seat of Mayor.        

Mohiuddin has served as mayor for 16 years and five months in three tenures to date.

After stepping down, the former mayor told reporters that he discharged his duties for the welfare of the people during his tenure. “There might have been any mistake. But I always tried my best to make the city non-communal and terror-free as the port city mayor,” he said.

Mohiuddin claimed, “I have worked to make Chittagong a full-blown city corporation through government-sponsored projects.”

Seeking cooperation from all, he hoped people would elect him once again.

BdST: 12:43 PM. 2010-05-20
SMM/SMS/MUA