Ivy credits Hasina with fair election on winning second term as Narayanganj mayor

Selina Hayat Ivy has applauded and thanked Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for Thursday’s peaceful and fair election in Narayanganj.

On getting the popular mandate to serve Narayanganj City as mayor for a second term, she came to visit Hasina, the chief of her Awami League party, at the Ganabhaban on Friday.

Hasina embraced Ivy as she entered the prime minister’s official residence. Ivy greeted her with a 'boat', the electoral symbol of the ruling party, made of flowers.

"It has been proved that fair polls are possible under Sheikh Hasina's leadership. You will now see everywhere else in Bangladesh the example set in Narayanganj," the mayor said.  

On Thursday, ruling party candidate defeated her main challenger, BNP’s Sakhawat Hossain Khan, by a margin of around 80,000 votes.

No untoward incident was reported in any phase of the election.    

At the Ganabhaban, Ivy said the Awami League won because the election was conducted impartially which was possible thanks to the prime minister.

"...You (Hasina) made it possible for us to work hard in a friendly environment," she added. 

At the beginning of the function, the prime minister took Ivy onstage. The Narayanganj mayor sat on her right while Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on the left.

From Narayanganj, Awami League's district unit President Abdul Hye and city unit chief Anwar Hossain, who also vied for the party's ticket as mayor candidate, came to the programme.

AKM Shamim Osman, MP, who was defeated by Ivy in the 2011 mayoral elections, did not show up.

Shamim threw his support behind Ivy before the vote this time on Hasina's orders to sink their differences in Narayanganj Awami League.

Even after being the ruling party candidate, Ivy had expressed concern that a 'third party' might try to mar the elections with violence. She did not take names, but many in Narayanganj think she referred to Shamim Osman.

Before taking the seat beside Hasina at the Ganabhaban programme, Ivy touched the prime minister's feet in a show of respect. Hasina kissed her on the forehead.

"I am speechless. When the leader handed me the 'boat', I said I will return it to her on Dec 22," Ivy, apparently emotional, said.

"The people of Narayanganj have proved (that Hasina was not wrong) when she put trust in them," she said.

Ivy also thanked the leaders and activists of the Awami League and its affiliates for working for her in the elections on Hasina's orders.  

She sought the prime minister's help to continue the services she is providing to the people of her city.

She drew Hasina's attention to the demand for a bridge on the Shitalakkhya River, which flows through the city.

The prime minister assured her of support to develop Narayanganj.

Hasina offered sweets at the function to celebrate the victory.

Thanking the people of Narayanganj for voting for Ivy, she also said they have understood that in order for development to continue, a government must be allowed to stay in power.   

Ivy has been in public office for the past 13 years, first as a municipality chairman and then as the city’s mayor.

Her father late Ali Ahmed Chunka took office as the chairman of Narayanganj municipality after independence. Ivy left for New Zealand in 1994 immediately after starting her career as a physician.

Upon returning in 2002, she secured a landslide victory in the election to Narayanganj municipality and took office as the first female chairman of the river port city.

She became the first female mayor winning the 2011 election to Narayanganj after it had been made a city corporation.

She was also promoted to the post of vice-president of Narayanganj district Awami League after serving as health and environment affairs secretary in the Narayanganj metropolitan Awami League.