BNP-backed Mayoral candidate Mir Md Nasir Uddin formally launched campaign yesterday, a day after the two rival factions closed ranks at a meeting, attended by party stalwarts in the city. BNP leaders and activists loyal to Mir Nasir Uddin and Fisheries and Livestock Minister Abdullah Al Noman at a meeting in on Saturday vowed to launch a strong campaign for Mir Nasir Uddin to snatch the Mayoral post from Awami League.

Mir Nasir started mass contact from Chalk Bazar Jamtala Masjid premises after offering Asr prayer there.

He later addressed two rallies in Jamtala and Sholokbahar areas.

Addressing the rallies, Mir Nasir said he established dignity of the Mayor when he was in the post till 1994.

If elected this time, he would "restore" dignity of the chair (mayor post) and establish a corruption-free and dynamic administration to bring about a planned development of the city and work for betterment of the city dwellers.

In the prestige fight to retain the post, Awami League wants party chief Sheikh Hasina to address some polls rallies for incumbent Mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury.

The party leadership in the city also wants Sheikh Hasina to stay here until the poll result is announced unofficially, AL sources said.

Mohiuddin, claiming himself a candidate of a newly formed Nagorik Parishad (civic committee) already held several rallies in the last few days to retain the post for the third consecutive term.

Chittagong City AL Working Committee held a meeting at Mohiuddin's Chashma Hill residence in the city Saturday evening.

With Chittagong city AL President MA Mannan in the chair, the meeting focused on campaign strategy and polls monitoring, sources said.

The meeting discussed reshuffling of the Nagorik Committee, poll monitoring by observers from home and abroad," said Khorshed Alam Sujan, secretary for environmental affairs of city Awami League.

The meeting announced a 'hunger procession' on March 23 and human chain on March 24 for realisation of the 40-point demand for development of Chittagong. It will also decided that the Nagorik Committee will hold a rally at Laldighi Moidan on March 29 as part of the campaign.

Awami League nominated mayor candidate ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury carried out mass contact and addressed at Uttar (north) Patenga and at No. 37 Ward of Bandar area yesterday.

At the rallies Mohiuddin Chowdhury said that if re-elected he would take steps to upgrade Chittagong to the standard of an 'international city'.

He said he would expand city area with modern civic amenities.

In the BNP camp, leaders and activists of the two rival factions have buried differences and launched a united campaign.

Differences between BNP and its alliance partners have also been narrowed over selection of ward commissioner candidates, party sources said.

At Saturday's city BNP meeting held at Nasiman Bhaban party office, Chittagong (north) district BNP President Golam Akber Khandoker was the chief guest with Chittagong city BNP General Secretary Dostagir Chowdhury in the chair.

Chittagong (north) district BNP General Secretary Shahjahan Siraj and Dr Nurunnabi, widely known as a supporter of Noman, also spoke at the meeting, reportedly held at the directive of a central party leader.

Differences over selection of ward commissioner candidates had surfaced between the BNP factions when its alliance partners also demanded seats for their respective parties.

Foreign Minister Morshed Khan (Chittagong - 10), Fisheries and Livestock Minister Abdullah Al Noman (Chittagong -9) and former commerce minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury (Chittagong -8) are to play key roles in selecting candidates for 41 wards in their constituencies.

There are 17 wards in the constituency of Noman, 14 in that of Khosru and 10 in the constituency of Morshed Khan.

Ward commissioner aspirants loyal to the three stalwarts are strongly lobbying for party support while BNP is considering to give priority to those who refrained from vying in the January 3, 2000 CCC election, boycotted by BNP and the alliance partners, party sources said.

According to sources, BNP's alliance partners are demanding nominations of their men in 25 wards.

Of them, Jamaat-e-Islami is pressing for alliance nomination of its men in 15 wards, Jatiya Party (JP) in Seven and Islami Okya Jotte (IOJ) in and 3 wards.

The 4-party alliance will choose the candidates at a crucial meeting to be held soon, party sources said.

However, knowledgeable circles said the three alliance partners (Jamaat, JP and IOJ) might get nominations in eight wards while at least ten "rebel candidates" may also vie in the election.

Meanwhile, ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury, also General Secretary of Chittagong city unit of Awami League, addressed two rallies on Saturday.

Nasirabad Ward Awami League and Daxmin Bakolia Ward Awami League organis the rallies on Valica Woollen Mill and Miankhan Nagor Flour Mill premises respectively.

Chittagong city AL President MA Mannan was the chief guest at both the rallies.

As per the polls schedule, the last date for submitting nominations paper is April 11. Those will be scrutinised on April 12. The last date for withdrawal of candidature is April 18.