Awami League leaders on Thursday directed city chapter leaders living in Dhaka North City and lawmakers elected from the area to prepare a list candidates interested to contest for the position of councilors.
The directive came from a joint meeting of Awami League central committee and its Dhaka city chapter leaders living in Dhaka North City and lawmakers elected from the area, top leaders of thana units and others at the AL president’s Dhanmondi office.
On Monday, the Election Commission announced that the much delayed elections to elect the mayors of Dhaka North City and Dhaka South City would be held on May 24.
According to the schedule, the candidates would be able to collect and submit nomination papers until April 19.
About 22 lakh registered voters are expected to cast their votes to elect the mayor of Dhaka North City and 38 councilors -- 36 for general wards and 12 from reserved seats of women.
AL sources said, thana unit presidents and general secretaries under the supervision of the lawmaker elected from the respective constituencies would prepare an acceptable list of the candidates.
Participants of the meeting told New Age that the central committee warned that any party activist found contesting as a ‘rebel candidate’ defying party decision would face actions including expulsion.
AL spokesperson and joint general secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif told a press conference after the joint meeting that the party would extend its unofficial support to the candidates selected.
‘Thana committees have been asked to prepare a list of honest, eligible candidates having clean-image for the polls,’ he said.
AL general secretary general Syed Ashraful Islam chaired the meeting which was  attended by AL presidium member Kazi Jafarullah, organizing secretaries Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Ahmmad Hossain, BM Mozammel and city unit leaders .
The central leaders of the party began holding a series of meetings with the city unit leaders, the party’s lawmakers elected from the city constituencies and the top leaders of the thana units on Wednesday to find out who enjoy the support and backing of  influential leaders and ward councilors as mayoral candidates.
Today the central leaders of the party would meet city unit leaders living in Dhaka South City and lawmakers elected from the area and the top thana unit leaders of the area.
The mayoral aspirants for Dhaka South City include Mohammad Selim, Awlad Hossain, Shahe Alam Murad and Sayeed Khokan, and the mayoral aspirants for Dhaka North City include Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury, Kamal Ahmed Majumder, film star Farukh. JSD (Inu) leader Shirin Akhter and Jatiya Partry leader Bahauddin Ahmed.
AL leader Mahmudur Rahman Manna is keen to contest for the position of mayor of Dhaka North City. And he began his campaign under the banner Nagorik Samaj.