Twelve councillors of Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC), including seven from the BNP, have joined the ruling Awami League with a pledge to 'accelerate development of the city'.

With their joining the AL on Saturday night, now 22 of the total 30 councillors of the RCC belong to the ruling party.

The councillors include panel mayor Shariful Islam Babu, once a member of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), and four women councillors -- Farzana Haque, Sufia Islam, Kohinur Chowdhury and Anwara Begum.

Seven others Meraj Uddin, Siraj Uddin Ahmed Manik, Abul Hasnat, Nizam-ul Azim, Zahangir Alam Alamgir, Akbar Hossain and Zaher Hossain Suja had been adherents of BNP.

Earlier on October 12, RCC councillor Rabiul Islam Toju joined the AL along with over a hundred of his followers.

Rajshahi mayor and AL leader AHM Khairuzzaman Liton greeted them at a function held at Bhubon Mohon Park in the city where the councillors presented floral wreathes to him.

"The councillors joined the Awami League being inspired by the ideals of father of the nation Bangabandhu Shiekh Mujibur Rahman and this would strengthen the government's hand for development," Liton told the meeting.

“I had no intention to join politics again. Now, I think joining politics of the ruling party will help the development activities,” Shariful Islam Babu, who had remained inactive in politics for some time, told this correspondent.

"We want to strengthen the pro-liberation force," said another councillor.

"Councillors who do not belong to the ruling party face many problems. We have joined Awami League so that we can function smoothly as well as play roles in development,” said another councillor preferring anonymity.