Four candidates file for presidency, 32 for directors

The election fever is at its peak at Mohammedan Sporting Club Limited as nomination paper sales concluded on Friday for the upcoming polls, scheduled for 9 March.

Over four days, a total of 36 nomination forms were collected - four for the president’s post and 32 for director positions.

After Barkat Ullah Bulu initially collected the presidential nomination form, three more aspirants joined the race on the final day - Sajed Adel, Shawkat Aziz Russell, and Zainul Abdin Farroque.

“With four candidates now in the fray, the presidential contest is set to be closely watched,” said Election Commissioner Anwarul Haque Helal.

Director nominations saw brisk activity as well. On Friday, 13 forms were sold to Mohammad Abul Kalam, Mostafa Kamal, Syed Rumman Bin Wali Sabbir, Mahbubul Anam, Mostakur Rahman, Zakir Hossain Chowdhury, Md Riaz Uddin, Ariful Haque Prince, Mahmud Hasan Khan, and Mizanur Rahman. Presidential hopefuls Zainul Abdin, Sajed Adel, and Shawkat Aziz also picked up forms for director positions.

Earlier, 19 others had collected director forms, including Lokman Hossain Bhuiyan, Amirul Islam Babu, Sarwar Hossain, Masuduzzaman, Abdur Rob Mahbub, Abu Hasan Chowdhury Prince, Jamal Rana, Zahir Ahmed, Nasir Uddin Chowdhury, Mirza Yasir Abbas, Nilufar Chowdhury Moni, Sarkar Mahbub Ahmed, MA Salam, Khairul Kabir Khokon, Group Captain Mohammad Alamgir (retd), Md Manzur Alam, Kabir Ahmed Bhuiyan, former footballer Sayeed Hassan Kanan, and Enayet Hossain Siraj.

Helal emphasised that the final number of contestants will only be confirmed after submission on 1 March from 1pm to 4pm. “Some candidates have collected forms for both president and director posts. At the time of contesting, they will choose one,” he said.

Scrutiny, objections, hearings, and publication of the provisional valid list will take place on 3 March, with withdrawals allowed until 5pm the same day. The final list will be published on 4 March. Voting will be held on 9 March from 2pm to 5pm at Dhaka Club.

A total of 371 members - three donors and 368 permanent - are eligible to vote. The 17-member board will comprise 16 directors and one president, with one Director-in-Charge and one Director (Finance) later nominated from among the elected directors.