Dhaka: BNP nomination board has started interviewing the party nomination seekers to finalise its candidate for the by-polls to Dhaka North City Corporation’s mayoral post.

The party’s nomination board, comprising BNP standing committee members and its Dhaka North city unit vice-president and general secretary, headed by Khaleda Zia, started the interview with first meeting with Shakil Wahed around 9:45pm on Monday at the party chairperson’s Gulshan office.

Earlier in the day, 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.

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 the nomination papers for contesting the by-polls on the party ticket.

Four of them, except Quayum who is now staying in Malaysia, turned up at the BNP chief’s office for the interview.

Party insiders said BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir may announce the name of the party-nominated candidate after the interviews of the nomination aspirants.

Tabith contested the DNCC polls held on April 28, 2015 on 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.