Election campaigning has reached a fever pitch in Rajshahi, Sylhet and Barishal as the civic polls to these city corporations are barely a week away. The elections are scheduled on July 30. After obtaining their electoral symbols, all the candidates are busy in hectic campaigning from early morning to midnight in different areas of these cities. Witnesses say both the Awami League (AL)- and the BNP-nominated mayoral candidates are making door-to-door campaigns to woo voters.

The mayoral hopefuls are campaigning at different city wards, bazars, roads and offices. They are attending professional bodies’ electoral meetings, gatherings and view-exchange meetings. AL and the BNP central leaders are participating in the campaigning. In Barishal, the newly elected Gazipur city corporation mayor, Jahangir Alam, yesterday took part in the campaigning for Awami League-nominated mayoral candidate Sadik Abdullah. They started the campaign from the city’s Sadar Road area.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission (EC) has issued show-cause notices to Dr Vaskar Saha, principal of Barishal Sher E Banglamedical College, and Dr Bakir Hosen, director of Barishal Sher E Banglamedical College hospital, for holding meetings with Sadik Abdullah.

The EC also issued a show-cause notice to Maolana Obaydur Rahman, the mayoral candidate of Islami Andolon Bangladesh, for referring to religious dialogues during the campaign. It also fined five councillor candidates for violating the electoral code of conduct.

The BNP-nominated mayoral candidate, Mojibur Rahaman, yesterday alleged that the police were only arresting BNP-Jamaat men during the campaign. He called upon the EC to ensure a level playing field for all political parties. Iqbal Hossain Tapos, the mayoral candidate of Jatiya Party (JP-Ershad), alleged ruling partymen were threatening his party leaders and activists. In Sylhet, AL mayoral candidate Badar Uddin Kamran yesterday began the poll campaign from the city’s Kushighat area. He alleged that the BNP-Jamaat men had set ablaze one of his election offices. BNP candidate Ariful Haque Chowdhury, however, dismissed the allegation.