With the elections to the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) are just nine days ahead, electioneering has already started getting momentum And poll fervour has also started gripping the capital Dhaka. Booth ruling Awami League and Bangladesh Nationalist Party-backed mayor and councillor candidates of DSCC and DNCC along their respective parties’ leaders and workers begun campaign on January 10
The Election Commission on January 10 allocated symbols among the mayoral and councillor candidates scheduled to be held on February 2. Since then the Awami League-backed mayor candidates of DSCC Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh and DNCC Atiqul Islam along with central and local leaders and workers continued electioneering to woo people’s support in favour of ruling AL poll symbol ‘boat;
Pledging to make a corruption free city corporation, continue the ongoing development to build a modern, livable and dynamic Dhaka city, Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh and Atiqul Islam are going to door to door and requesting the people to cast their votes in favour them. On the other hand, Bangladesh Nationalist Party-backed DSCC mayoral candidate Ishraque Hossain and DNCC mayoral aspirant Tabith Awal also along with party’s central and local leaders and activists have also put their frantic efforts to reach out to voters in different areas of city to woo them for ensuring their victory.
Reminding the voters about the ruling Awami League’s activities in the last decade, they are requesting the city people to elect them as mayors in order the make the capital a beautiful, safe and secure. Besides, they also are giving commitment before the people that they would also free city from water-logging that haunts the people when monsoon begins.
The mayor and councillor candidates of both DNCC and DSCC were also found busy in distributing leaflets and festoons as well as personal appearances to voters for making their appeals. A modern, dynamic Dhaka city: Taposh Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh at a poll campaign on Thursday urged the city dwellers to choose a mayor, who can only make the capital a beautiful city with all civic enmities facilities.
“We want make capital Dhaka an active and developed city where good governance will be ensured,” he said while addressing way side rally at Mugdhapara in the city. “We will do our level best to give comfort to the city dwellers,” he said. He said BNP does not have any plan that how and in what way the city can be developed.
“But we have a plan. But the party took part in the election for a strategic reason,” he said. Fazle Noor Taposh hoped that the votes of the city-dwellers would go in favour of ‘Boat’, election symbol of AL, making him elected as mayor to make Dhaka a developed city. He reiterated that basic civic facilities would be ensured for the city dwellers if he is elected in the coming polls.
“If I’m elected in the DSCC polls, the time befitting civic facilities will be ensured within 5 years,” he told reporters. Taposh sought cooperation of all to make the Dhaka city a modern one saying: “I will serve as the public servant and build a developed city.” He said the people came down to street to carry out polls campaign spontaneously on behalf of ‘Boat’, election symbol of the Awami League party.
Pledging to build a green Dhaka city, Taposh further said if he is elected, he will work as a public servant for the wellbeing of the city. He said five specific plans have been made for the development of Dhaka city, adding: “We will ensure a modern and dynamic Dhaka city with a pledge to bring back its culture and heritage.”
“Within 90 days of taking charge as Mayor, I will ensure to take basic services to every doorstep of the common people,” he added. “Our first plan is about the old part of the city to ensure solution of city’s water logging system and work on to remove its traffic-jam.” He continued.
Will work as people’s servant: Atiqul Awami League mayoral candidate for the DNCC Atiqul Islam on Thursday said if he is elected as mayor development work in 18 wards will begin within six months. Awami League (AL)’s mayoral candidate for the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Atiqul Islam today said all service-providing agencies, including Dhaka WASA, will be made to work in a coordinated way with ensuring their accountability.
“We must develop the city. Though we have many challenges ahead, we will carry all out our job only for the betterment of the city and its people,” he said. Atiqul said if elected at first he would try all service-providing agencies to make coordinated approach towards solving problems of city-dwellers while the Dhaka North City Corporation and Dhaka WASA will be brought under accountability.
Earlier he said he said If people give him a chance to be a mayor, he would demolish all illegal structures and build a modern market (bazar), playground and community centre. “All essential services will be brought under central monitoring system aiming to ensure civic amenities in Dhaka,” he said..
By one year, he said, the whole DNCC areas will be brought under closed circuit cameras to make the city women-friendly. With an aim to build an ‘Enlightened Dhaka’, a total of 42,000 lights would be installed in the city, he said, adding that after doing so, the whole area will be brought under a strong network which will enable the law enforces get necessary information using online security based applications (Apps).
Md Atiqul Islam also pledged that if elected he would work as people’s servant to meet the expectations of the city residents for making Dhaka a smart city. Seeking people’s support in building a smart and dynamic Dhaka city, he said, “If reelected, I would build a clean and modern green city with my utmost efforts as the servant of the people. I will work more than ever.”
City to be freed from waterlogging, traffic jam: Ishraque Meanwhile, DSCC mayoral candidate Ishraque Hossain on Thursday during his election campaign said people will give a befitting reply if vote rigging take place in the upcoming polls. “We are now on movement to bring back people’s fundamental rights. People are the all sources of power. And we do believe it. We will do everything for the people if I’m elected mayor,” he said while addressing election campaign at Dhaka University area.
Earlier he said there is no democracy in the country. “The country is being destroyed in many ways since 13 years. The people’s voices are also being gauged up. There is no development in the country,” Ishraque Hossain said. “I’m also promising that I will free the city corporation from all sorts of corruption and irregularities. Besides, initiatives will also be taken to free the city from severe waterlogging and traffic jam,” he said.
He also called upon the city people to elect him as a mayor, promising that if he would win in the poll he would return people’s right to them.Ishraque Hossain, also the son of former undivided Dhaka City Corporation Mayor late Sadeque Hossain Khoka, called upon the people to cast vote in favour of sheaf of paddy in order to make the capital a livable city.
“I’m urging all of you to go to the poling centre braving all sorts of odds. If we are elected, people will get back their fundamental rights. We will regain the democracy inshallah,” he said. Civic amenities to be ensured: Tabith Apart from them DNCC mayoral aspirant Tabith Awal on Thursday said a mass wave has already been created in favour of ‘sheaf of paddy’.
“Wherever we are going now, people are accepting us and telling their agony that haunted them in the last 13 years. We believe that if people would be able to cast the vote in a free, fair and impartial manner, we will win the race,” he said while addressing a wayside rally at Premtola area of Rayerbazar in the city.
Earlier he alleged that they are being barred in many ways during the electioneering. “If I’m elected mayor I will work hard to make the capital a livable and modern city. Civic amenities will be ensured,” he said “The leaders and workers of Awami League continued launching attack on us during the campus. Our loudspeakers are also being snatched away. Besides, police also are arresting and harassing our leaders and workers,” he said.
He also said the ruling party men carried out the attack as they have become unnerved seeing the mass wave created in favour of ‘Sheaf of Paddy’, the election symbol of BNP. “We didn’t launch a counter attack as we want to maintain peace.” Tabith said though he sustained physical injuries and pain, he is still very strong morally. “They won’t be able to suppress us by carrying out attacks as we continue to conduct campaign peacefully.”
