Awami League has chosen new candidates in three city corporations and relied on the previous ones in two other cities. 

The five city corporations are scheduled to hold elections in May and June. 

The ruling party has nominated Ajmat Ullah Khan, instead of previous mayor Jahangir Alam, in Gazipur city corporation. 

The outgoing mayor of Barishal City Corporation, Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah, failed to retain his candidature as the party set his uncle Abul Khayer Abdullah as its candidate for the upcoming election in the city.

In Sylhet, Awami League nominated Anwaruzzaman as its candidate for the city polls as Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran, the previous candidate, died from coronavirus. 

The nomination of Anwaruzzaman came as a surprise as he does not hold any post in the ruling party’s local committees. He is joint general secretary of Awami League’s UK unit. 

Some 10 leaders had collected nomination forms to contest in the election with the ticket of Awami League. All the aspirant candidates, except for Anwaruzzaman, are crucial leaders of the ruling party. 

Local leaders have long been saying that they would work unitedly if anyone, but Anwaruzzaman, gets nomination from the ruling party. Now, some see the possibility of rebel candidates in Awami League.

Meanwhile, Rajshahi mayor HM Khairuzzaman Liton and Khulna mayor Talukder Abdul Khalek will run for reelection.