4 city corporations at a glance

Over 1.2 million people are expected to cast their votes in the four city corporation polls on Saturday to elect new representatives of the people for the next five years.

The voting in 652 centres in Rajshahi, Khulna, Barisal and Sylhet cities is scheduled to kick off at 8am and continue until 4pm.

The two main political parties have taken the polls ‘seriously’ as these are taking place only six months before the next general elections.

Each of the cities is seeing three candidates running for the mayor’s office.

Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) will be in use at centres of only one ward in each city. Votes will be cast through ballots in all the other centres.

Around 20,000 members of the police, RAB, Ansar, VDP and coast guard will be deployed to maintain law and order during the polls.

Almost 70 percent of Tk 70 million allotted for elections in four city corporations will be spent on maintaining law and order.

More than 12,000 Election Commission officials will be working to conduct the polls while some 650 people from home and abroad will observe how free and fair the elections are.

Rajshahi

In Rajshahi, the number of reserved wards is 20, general wards 30, voters 286,917 (male 143,395 and female 143,522), vote centres 137 and booths: 831.

Three candidates are vying for mayor’s office while 155 are contesting for general ward councillor posts and 66 for the position of reserved councillors.

The three mayor candidates are Awami League central committee member and metropolitan unit General Secretary AHM Khairuzzaman Liton (poll symbol ‘lock’), BNP central committee member and metropolitan Juba Dal Convenor Mosaddek Hossain Bulbul (pineapple), and independent contestant Habibur Rahman (spectacles).

Rajshahi Regional Election Officer Subhash Chandra Sarkar will be the returning officer in the election.

The 20 polling booths of three centres of ward-8 will have electronic voting machines to serve a total of 6,823 voters.

Rajshahi City Corporation began its journey on Aug 1, 1987.

Khulna

Khulna City has 10 reserved wards, 31 general wards, 440,566 voters (male 224,508, female 216,062), 288 polling centres and 1428 booths.

Besides the three-pronged mayoral race, 137 contestants are vying for the general ward councillor posts and 45 for the reserved councillor positions.

The outgoing Khulna city mayor Talukdar Abdul Khaleque is running for re-election with ‘lock’ symbol. He is backed by the ruling Awami League.

The poll symbol of Moniruzzaman Moni, the mayoral aspirant backed by the BNP-led 18-Party Alliance, is ‘pineapple’ while Shafiul Islam Madhu, President of Jatiya Party’s Khulna unit, is contesting with ‘pen-inkpot’ logo.

Barisal’s Regional Election Official Mostafa Faroque will be the returning officer in Khulna polls.

A total of 21 booths of five polling centres of Khulna’s ward-8 will have electronic voting machines. As many as 6,237 voters will be able to cast their votes using the machines.

Khulna City Corporation was established in Dec 10, 1984.

Barisal

In Barisal City, the number of reserved wards is 10, general wards 30, voters 211,257 (male 107,625, female 103,632), vote centres 100 and booths 614.

Three aspirants are in the mayoral race while 116 candidates are contesting the general ward councillor posts and 45 for the reserved councillor positions.

Awami League-backed candidate Shawkat Hossain Hiran’s poll symbol is ‘television’. His rivals are Ahsan Habib Kamal, supported by the BNP-led 18-Party Alliance and Joint Convenor of Juba League’s metropolitan unit Mahmudul Haque Khan Mamun.

Kamal and Mamun are running with ‘pineapple’ and ‘pen-inkpot’ symbols.

Khulna’s Regional Election Official Mujibor Rahman will be the returning officer for Barisal polls.

Electronic voting machines will be used in 12 booths of two voting centres in Barisal’s ward-16. A total of 4,281 voters can use the machines.

Barisal City Corporation began its journey on Jul 25, 2002.

Sylhet

Sylhet City has nine reserved wards, 27 general wards, 291,046 voters (male 157,181 female 133,865), 128 polling centres and 896 booths.

Three candidates are running for the mayor’s office while 139 aspirants are vying for the general ward councillor posts and 35 for the reserved councillor positions.

Nagarik Committee candidate Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran, also Metropolitan Awami League President, has the support of the ruling coalition and he is contesting with ‘pineapple’ symbol.

Sammilita Nagarik Jote candidate Ariful Haque Chowdhury, also a member of BNP’s central committee, is taking part in the polls with ‘television’ symbol. He has been backed by the 18-Party alliance.

Businessman Salah Uddin Rimon will compete in the elections with ‘lock’ symbol.

Sylhet’s Regional Election Officer SM Ejharul Haque is the returning officer for the polls.

EVMs will be available in 20 booths of the three polling centres of ward-2. A total of 6,283 voters can cast their votes with the machines.

Sylhet City Corporation was established in 2002.