Voting in the elections to Rajshahi and Sylhet city corporations begins today with participation with candidates from different political parties.
Defying central decision of the BNP, a total of 57 leaders of the party are contesting for various posts in the elections to both the Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) and the Sylhet City Corporation (SCC).
The BNP earlier expelled its 16 leaders for their participation in the RCC election while 41 others for their participation in the SCC election.
The BNP so far expelled a total of 114 of its leaders for their participation in five elections to Gazipur, Barishal, Khulna, Rajshahi and Sylhet city corporations.
The election to the RCC is being held for the seventh time since its inception in 1987.
For the first time in RCC's history, elections will be held through the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) in all the 155 centres. Close Circuit Television Cameras (CCTVs) have been installed in all the polling centres to monitor the election centrally from the capital Dhaka.
The Regional Election Office has taken all necessary preparation in coordination with all the authorities concerned, including law enforcing agencies, to make the election a success.
There are a total of 3,51,982 voters in the RCC. Votes will be cast at 1,153 booths under 155 polling centres in 30 wards from 8:00am to 4:00pm without any break.
A total of 161 candidates are contesting the RCC election race. Of them, three for mayoral posts, 112 for general councilors’ post in 30 wards and 46 for 10 reserved seats for women councilors.
The mayoral candidates are: Bangladesh Awami League nominated and former mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton (Boat), Jatiya Party candidate Saiful Islam Swapan (Plough) and Jaker Party Latif Anwar (Rose).
Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP) Commissioner Anisur Rahman said additional security measures have been taken to hold the election peacefully.
“Five-tier security measures have been taken for holding the polls free, fair, participatory, peaceful and acceptable to all. Around 4,500 law enforcers have been deployed to maintain law and order”, he added.
In Sylhet, at least 2600 law enforcers have been deployed to ensure security for SCC elections.
“At least 14 judicial magistrates and 42 executive magistrates will perform their duties in 42 wards during the voting period”, said Sylhet Metropolitan Police Commissioner Md Elias Sharif.
To ensure security on election day, one police inspector, one sub-inspector, and five members of the police will remain at vulnerable polling stations while one inspector, one sub-inspector, four police members, and 14 Ansars will perform duty at the rest of the polling stations with others.
Besides, police, members from the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Ansar personnel will remain on patrol duty.
The Sylhet police commissioner also urged voters to cast their votes without any fear.
Eight mayoral candidates, including Awami League-backed Anwaruzzaman Chowdhury and Jatiya Party-backed Nazrul Islam Babu, are vying for the post.
Besides, 272 candidates are contesting for 42 general councillor posts, and 87 are contesting for 14 reserved female seats.
The total number of voters in the SCC is 4,86,605. Votes will be cast through the EVMs at 1,364 polling booths under 190 polling centres.
