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City starts wearing a festive look

AL, BNP candidates promise to free city from gridlock


Published : 15 Jan 2020 09:06 PM | Updated : 07 Sep 2020 10:44 AM

Capital Dhaka has started wearing a festive look ahead of the January 30 city corporation polls following hectic campaign by mayoral and councillor candidates.

Ruling Awami League-backed mayor candidates of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh and Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Atiqul Islam along with central and local leaders and workers are passing sleepless nights.

Besides, Bangladesh Nationalist Party-backed DSCC mayoral candidate Ishraque Hossain and DNCC mayoral aspirant Tabith Awal along with party’s central and local leaders and activists have put forth their frantic efforts to reach out to voters in different areas of city to woo them for ensuring their victory.

Apart from mayor candidates, councilor candidates are also going door to door in order to garner people’s support and mandate.
On the other hand, agents and supporters of mayor and councillor aspirants of DNCC and DSCC elections are also passing busy times in electioneering on Wednesday.
On Wednesday Awami League DNCC mayoral aspirant Atiqul Islam launched election campaign from Farmgate area while BNP candidate Tabith Awal from in front of Rahmatullah garment factory at North Badda in the city.

Besides, Awami League DSCC mayoral candidate Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh launched campaign from Dolairpar High School at Shyampur while Bangladesh Nationalist Party DNCC candidate Ishraque Hossain from in front of Bangladesh Medical College in the city’s Dhanmondi area on Wednesday.

The mayor and councillor candidates of both DNCC and DSCC were also found busy in distributing leaflets and festoons as well as personal appearances among voters for making their final appeals as polls are scheduled to be held on January 30.
Atiqul Islam on Wednesday promised to free the capital Dhaka from severe gridlock.

“We also have so many challenges ahead. But we will face these challenges and make the capital a beautiful city. My first task is to free the city dwellers from the horrific traffic gridlock. I will sit with bus owners and work on transport route rationalisation,” he said.

He came up with these promises while addressing a wayside rally at Farmgate in the city.
He also called for social movement against drugs, saying ‘boat’ does mean the symbol of development.

“The country is undergoing a flood of development and it will continue…. So I’m seeking your vote for ‘boat’. The city’s main problem is waterlogging. We have already taken effective measures in this regard. We hope that the capital will also be freed from the waterlogging in phases,” Atiqul said.

Sheikh Bazlur Rahman and Mannan Kachi, President and General Secretary of Dhaka City Awami League North Unit respectively among others, accompanied him during the campaign.

Besides, Awami League leader and former state minister Tarana Halima also took part in the electioneering.
On the other hand, Bangladesh Nationalist Party-backed DNCC mayoral aspirant Tabith Awal on Wednesday alleged that they are being barred in many ways during the electioneering.

“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 came up with these allegations while addressing a wayside rally at North Badda in the city.
“I’m calling upon the Election Commission to ensure level playing field. If the level playing field is ensured only then we can continue the poll campaign,” Tabith Awal said.

He also said if he is elected as the mayor of DNCC, he would work hard to remove waterlogging from the city.
“Besides, I will also work hard to ensure security to women and children. City’s open spaces will be used for pedestrians’ movement,” he said.
Ruling Awami League’s mayoral candidate of DSCC Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh on Wednesday said his party’s monitoring committee is watching everything whether the electoral code of conduct is being violated.
“We are trying our level best to avoid violation of electoral code of conduct. And even we are carrying out campaign very cautiously so that local people wouldn’t face any problems or sufferings,” he said while addressing a rally campaign at Dolairpar High School at Shyampur in the city.
Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh said a mass wave has been created in favour of ‘boat’ centering the city corporation elections.
“A festive mood has already started prevailing across the capital Dhaka. We hope that a competitive election will be held,” he said.
Expressing his optimism over the victory, he said that they are getting huge responses from the city dwellers.
“Our five-point action plans to develop the capital Dhaka has been accepted to city dwellers widely. We do believe that the ‘boat’ will win the January 30 city polls. If I’m elected as the mayor DSCC I will start working from the day one,” he said.

On the other hand, Bangladesh Nationalist Party backed DSCC mayoral candidate Ishraque Hossain on Wednesday alleged that the Awami League leaders and workers are tearing their posters, festoons and banners.

“They are also barring our leaders and workers to paste posters. We are informing the Election Commission every day. But it is very unfortunate that, the commission hasn’t taken any initiative to take action against the offenders,” he said.
He came up with these allegations while addressing a campaign rally held at Bangladesh Medical College in the city.
“It can’t be level playing field,” Ishraque Hossain said, adding no Awami League backed candidates are obeying the electoral ‘code of conduct’.

Beside, addressing a wayside rally in Hazaribagh area, he said that the long-standing problem of the area will be resolved if he is elected as the Mayor.
“We are not staging any showdown. It is the participation of people who love us. Common people have huge support for BNP. And it is the reflection commoner’s love and sympathy to the BNP,” Ishraque Hossain said.