Dhaka: Awami League has so far finalised its chairman aspirants for 702 union councils ahead of the elections in 739 unions slated for March 22.

The ruling party will also finalise its possible chairman contestants for remaining 37 union councils soon as the deadline for submission of nomination papers will expire on February 22.

AL chairman aspirants for 558 UPs and 144 union councils were finalised on Wednesday night and Thursday night respectively, said AL joint general secretary Jahangir Kabir Nanak at a press conference at the AL President’s Dhanmondi political office in Dhaka, reported UNB.

The finalised aspirants have started collecting party’s testimonials, signed by AL President Sheikh Hasina, in favour of their candidature from the office. AL presidium member Obaidul Quader inaugurated the distribution of testimonials.

Addressing the press conference, Nanak said they have remained cautious so that no one from anti-liberation force—Razakars, Al Shams and Jamaat-e Islami- could get AL ticket in the union council elections.

No man from BNP-Jamaat and Razakers is among the aspirants finalised by AL, he said.

Election to the chairman post of union parishad is going to be held under the party line for the first time in the country.

The Election Commission worked out a plan to arrange election to 4275 union councils in six phases by June next starting on March 22.

The EC has also announced election schedules for the first two phases fixing the balloting for 739 union councils on March 22 and 684 union councils on March 31.

The deadline for the submission of nomination paper is February 22 for the first phase, while March 2 for the second phase.