Aspirants filed nominations amid festivity

Aspirants filed nomination papers for contesting municipal polls slated for December 30 amid festivity as the deadline expires on Thursday.

The mayoral candidates will contest the elections to 234 of the 323 municipal councils for the first time with party nominations and the election symbols of the parties.

The elections to the posts of councilors for the general seats and councilors from the reserve seats for women will, however, be non-partisan as usual.

In many municipalities, rival candidates of Awami League and BNP also submitted nomination papers.

Some leaders of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami submitted nomination papers as independent candidates as the party was not allowed to contest in the polls following a High Court order.

In some places, aspirants of opposition BNP and Awami League rebels faced obstruction during submission of their nominations.