CHITTAGONG: Newly elected Chittagong City Corporation mayor Manjur Alam Manju backtracked to his city home following a close call in a road accident on his way to Dhaka for paying tributes to Zia’s grave on Thursday morning

The BNP newcomer’s tribute trip to the late party founder’s tomb was now debarred by accident after a day’s deferment due to the party’s countrywide human-chain demo Wednesday.

Family sources said a speedy covered van rammed Manzur`s Pajero jeep in a head-on collision around 6am on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway in Comilla’s Chouddagram area.  

“Immediately after the accident, he was taken back to a clinic for treatment. He is now taking rest at his house--he is improving,” said one source.  

This would be Manzur`s first visit to the capital after he was elected mayor of the port city amid a stunt. He was rescheduled to visit Zia’s eternal resting place Thursday at about 11am to pay tribute to the party founder.

Later, he was expected to meet BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia in the evening at her Gulshan office.

As opposition BNP-backed contestant he was elected mayor in the June 17 election beating his predecessor Awami League-backed ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury.

BDST: 02:00 HRS, JULY 8, 2010.