Dhaka: BNP is going to announce the name of its candidate for contesting the by-polls to Dhaka North City Corporation’s mayoral post tonight (Monday night).

Party senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said their party’s nomination board, comprising BNP standing committee members and its Dhaka North city unit president and general secretary, headed by Khaleda Zia will select its candidate after interviewing the five aspirants at the party chairperson’s Gulshan office.

Meanwhile, all the five party nomination seekers submitted their forms with Tk 25,000 security money at the party’s Nayapaltan central office at different times today.

Earlier on Sunday, the five BNP leaders—its executive committee member Tabith Awal, special secretary Asaduzzaman Ripon, assistant publication affairs secretary Shakil Wahed, Dhaka north city unit president MA Quayum, and ex-MP Major (retd) Akhtaruzzaman—collected nomination papers for contesting the by-polls with the party ticket.

Rizvi said the BNP nomination board will start interviewing the aspirants around 9pm.

Later, party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir may announce the name of the party nominated candidate.

Rizvi renewed their party’s demand for deployment of army in the DNCC by-polls to ensure a fair balloting in a congenial atmosphere.

Tabith contested the DNCC polls held on April 28, 2015 with BNP ticket and boycotted the voting halfway through bringing various allegations, including widespread vote rigging and obstruction to voters.

As per the schedule declared by the Election Commission, the by-polls to the DNCC mayoral post will be held on February 26.

The DNCC mayoral post fell vacant with the death of Annisul Huq on November 30 last year.