CHITTAGONG: Newly elected Mayor of the port city M Manjur Alam formally took office on Tuesday morning at Chittagong City Corporation Bhaban, striking a note of unison in his maiden address to his colleagues.

After the takeover, the mayor exchanged pleasantries with the CCC councilors, officials and employees. He also checked a few files.

The opposition BNP-backed Mayor called upon the councilors and officials to work unitedly for the uplift of the county’s main commercial city, sinking political differences.

“There is no alternative to working unitedly for upholding the past reputation of Chittagong City Corporation,” Manjur said.

Earlier, the Mayor attended a milad-mahfil at the Nagar Bhaban marking the occasion that elevated him to the highest seat of the city administration from the previous position as councilor.

He succeeded his former boss and political colleague ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury who contested the polls as the ruling Awami League-backed candidate and lost the race after three consecutive terms.      

Later at a press briefing, the new city father told journalists that the alleged irregularities of the past in the CCC would be made public.

“Matters related to the irregularities committed in the city corporation in the past have been published in newspapers on various occasions. It’s not possible for me to say about this without any investigation or division-wise audit reports. I’ll make it public through the journalists,” he said, responding to queries.

“City Corporation is run with the taxpayers’ money. Nobody has the right to misappropriate a single paisa of the organisaiton,” the Mayor said.

BDST: 1205 HRS, JULY 20, 2010