Litmus test for EC as 3 cities go to polls today

Voters in Rajshahi, Barishal and Sylhet will exercise their voting rights in the city corporation polls today, which many consider as a litmus test for the Election Commission and a dress rehearsal for the national polls scheduled to be held later this year. While candidates of ruling Awami League have expressed their confidence of winning the polls in the three cities, those of BNP and some other political parties apprehended vote rigging.

Candidates of various political parties also alleged arrests and harassment by law enforcers during poll campaigns. Widespread allegations of breaching the electoral code of conduct have also been leveled against different candidates.

The voting in all three cities will begin at 8am and continue till 4pm without any break amid the deployment of 44 platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members alongside other law enforcers, including police and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). A general holiday has been declared in the three cities so that voters can cast their votes.

On several occasions ahead of the city polls, the EC has mentioned that free and fair polls will create trust and confidence among the political parties. The commission has made it clear that stern action will be taken for any irregularities in the elections. EC Secretary

Helaluddin Ahmed told media that all preparations have been made for the polls.

He said stringent action would be taken for any irregularities in the elections. Steps have been taken to get immediate information about the prevailing situation during polling. Presiding officers would inform the EC through text messages every two hours about the election situation, he added.

The EC would take immediate steps in case of fake vote casting or creating chaos in the election centres, he noted.

The EC has deployed adequate number of law enforcers, including police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), to ensure a peaceful environment so that voters can cast votes without any intimidation. Law enforcers will be on duty for three days, he added.

There will be a team of RAB at each ward and one platoon BGB at every two wards. The EC has deployed executive and judicial magistrates to ensure that the electoral code of conduct does not get flouted. It has also engaged 24 law enforcers at important centres and 22 at general centres.

Among a total of 395 polling stations, 306 have been dubbed as important units.

In Rajshahi, 114 polling centres, out of 138, are important. In Sylhet, 80 polling stations, out of 134, have been termed as important centres.  

There are 112 important centres, out of a total of 123, in Barishal city.

A total of 318,136 voters will get the opportunity to cast their votes in 30 wards in Rajshahi city at 1,026 booths under 138 polling centres. Of the voters, 156,085 are men and 162,051 women.

In Barishal city, 242,666 voters—121,436 of them men and 120,730 women—are set to cast votes at 750 booths under 123 centres in 30 wards.

In Sylhet city, 321,732 voters are eligible to cast votes at 923 booths at 134 centres in 27 wards. Of the voters, 171,444 are men and 1,50,288 women.

Political observers are keenly following the contest between the mayoral candidates. Although several mayoral candidates are contesting in each city poll, the focus is on the race between the candidates nominated by the two main political parties – the ruling Awami League (AL) and its arch rival Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

In Rajshahi, four mayoral candidates are contesting the civic poll. They are AL candidate AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, BNP aspirant Mosaddek Hossain Bulbul, Islami Andolon Bangladesh candidate Shafiqul Islam and independent candidate Murad Morshed.

Six mayoral candidates are vying the Barishal city poll. They are AL candidate Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah, BNP candidate Mojibur Rahman Sarwar, Islami Andolon Bangladesh candidate Obaidur Rahman, Bangladesh Communist Party candidate Abdul Kalam Azad, Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal (BSD) candidate Monisha Chakrabarti and Jatiya Party candidate Iqbal Hossain.

In the Sylhet city polls, seven candidates are in the fray to become the mayor. They are AL-backed candidate Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran, BNP candidate Ariful Haque Chowdhury, Islami Andolon Bangladesh aspirant Moazzem Hossain Khan, BSD candidate Abu Jafar, independent candidates Ahasan Mahbub Jobayer, Ahasanul Haque Taher and Badruzzaman Selim.

In the last city polls held in Rajshahi, Barishal and Sylhet in 2013, BNP-backed candidates had won all the three mayoral posts. However, the AL candidates appear confident of winning the mayoral polls in the three cities this time, after AL candidates secured landslide victories in Khulna and Gazipur city polls, held on May 15 and June 26 respectively.

Many quarters, however, alleged huge irregularities in the city elections in Khulna and Gazipur.

Apart from the contests for the mayor positions, a total of 530 councilor candidates are contesting in the three city polls. Apart from the traditional mode of voting, the EC has arranged voting through electronic voting machines (EVMs) at 10 centres in Barishal and two centres each in Rajshahi and Sylhet.

 Syed Amirul Islam is the returning officer of the Rajshahi city poll, while Mujibur Rahman and Md Alimuzzaman have been appointed returning officers in the Barishal and Sylhet city polls respectively.

 

Litmus test for EC as 3 cities go to polls today

Voters in Rajshahi, Barishal and Sylhet will exercise their voting rights in the city corporation polls today, which many consider as a litmus test for the Election Commission and a dress rehearsal for the national polls scheduled to be held later this year. While candidates of ruling Awami League have expressed their confidence of winning the polls in the three cities, those of BNP and some other political parties apprehended vote rigging. Candidates of various political parties also alleged arrests and harassment by law enforcers during poll campaigns. Widespread allegations of breaching the electoral code of conduct have also been leveled against different candidates. The voting in all three cities will begin at 8am and continue till 4pm without any break amid the deployment of 44 platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members alongside other law enforcers, including police and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). A general holiday has been declared in the three cities so that voters can cast their votes. On several occasions ahead of the city polls, the EC has mentioned that free and fair polls will create trust and confidence among the political parties. The commission has made it clear that stern action will be taken for any irregularities in the elections. EC Secretary Helaluddin Ahmed told media that all preparations have been made for the polls. He said stringent action would be taken for any irregularities in the elections. Steps have been taken to get immediate information about the prevailing situation during polling. Presiding officers would inform the EC through text messages every two hours about the election situation, he added. The EC would take immediate steps in case of fake vote casting or creating chaos in the election centres, he noted. The EC has deployed adequate number of law enforcers, including police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), to ensure a peaceful environment so that voters can cast votes without any intimidation. Law enforcers will be on duty for three days, he added. There will be a team of RAB at each ward and one platoon BGB at every two wards. The EC has deployed executive and judicial magistrates to ensure that the electoral code of conduct does not get flouted. It has also engaged 24 law enforcers at important centres and 22 at general centres. Among a total of 395 polling stations, 306 have been dubbed as important units. In Rajshahi, 114 polling centres, out of 138, are important. In Sylhet, 80 polling stations, out of 134, have been termed as important centres. There are 112 important centres, out of a total of 123, in Barishal city. A total of 318,136 voters will get the opportunity to cast their votes in 30 wards in Rajshahi city at 1,026 booths under 138 polling centres. Of the voters, 156,085 are men and 162,051 women. In Barishal city, 242,666 voters121,436 of them men and 120,730 womenare set to cast votes at 750 booths under 123 centres in 30 wards. In Sylhet city, 321,732 voters are eligible to cast votes at 923 booths at 134 centres in 27 wards. Of the voters, 171,444 are men and 1,50,288 women. Political observers are keenly following the contest between the mayoral candidates. Although several mayoral candidates are contesting in each city poll, the focus is on the race between the candidates nominated by the two main political parties the ruling Awami League (AL) and its arch rival Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). In Rajshahi, four mayoral candidates are contesting the civic poll. They are AL candidate AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, BNP aspirant Mosaddek Hossain Bulbul, Islami Andolon Bangladesh candidate Shafiqul Islam and independent candidate Murad Morshed. Six mayoral candidates are vying the Barishal city poll. They are AL candidate Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah, BNP candidate Mojibur Rahman Sarwar, Islami Andolon Bangladesh candidate Obaidur Rahman, Bangladesh Communist Party candidate Abdul Kalam Azad, Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal (BSD) candidate Monisha Chakrabarti and Jatiya Party candidate Iqbal Hossain. In the Sylhet city polls, seven candidates are in the fray to become the mayor. They are AL-backed candidate Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran, BNP candidate Ariful Haque Chowdhury, Islami Andolon Bangladesh aspirant Moazzem Hossain Khan, BSD candidate Abu Jafar, independent candidates Ahasan Mahbub Jobayer, Ahasanul Haque Taher and Badruzzaman Selim. In the last city polls held in Rajshahi, Barishal and Sylhet in 2013, BNP-backed candidates had won all the three mayoral posts. However, the AL candidates appear confident of winning the mayoral polls in the three cities this time, after AL candidates secured landslide victories in Khulna and Gazipur city polls, held on May 15 and June 26 respectively. Many quarters, however, alleged huge irregularities in the city elections in Khulna and Gazipur. Apart from the contests for the mayor positions, a total of 530 councilor candidates are contesting in the three city polls. Apart from the traditional mode of voting, the EC has arranged voting through electronic voting machines (EVMs) at 10 centres in Barishal and two centres each in Rajshahi and Sylhet. Syed Amirul Islam is the returning officer of the Rajshahi city poll, while Mujibur Rahman and Md Alimuzzaman have been appointed returning officers in the Barishal and Sylhet city polls respectively.