Voters in Rajshahi, Sylhet and Barishal head to polls

Voters in Rajshahi, Sylhet and Barishal cities headed to polling centres on Monday morning in one of the most closely watched polls in Bangladesh ahead of the general election this year.

The ruling Awami League and its main rival BNP will battle it out in the race for the local government positions.

Candidates of the two parties are dominating the polls to the cities with a total of around 900,000 voters.

Foreign diplomats are watching closely the local government polls being held under the Election Commission which is facing an image crisis due to allegations of ‘silent rigging’ in recent Khulna and Gazipur polls.

The embassies of the US and the Netherlands have wished Bangladesh a peaceful and festive voting day for all to exercise their democratic right freely.

Voting has started in 395 centres in Rajshahi, Sylhet and Barishal at 8am and will continue until 4pm without a break, said election officials.

The BNP had blamed the government for using administrative influence to rig those two polls where they lost mayoral posts once they won in 2013 election.

All of the BNP candidates in the three cities have blamed police for not allowing them to campaign and harassing their polling agents by arresting them.

AL leaders, on the other hand, said BNP is trying to raise questions on the election sensing their defeat as people are casting their ballots for boat due to the government’s development work.

SYLHET ELECTION

Ariful Haque Chowdhury, the BNP candidate for mayor in the Sylhet city polls, has complained of election irregularities after casting his vote, while his rival Bodor Uddin Ahmed Kamran, the Awami League candidate, says he is hopeful of a good outcome.

Over 300,000 voters are expected cast their ballots at 134 polling centres in Sylhet.

BARISHAL POLLS

Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah, the Awami League mayoral candidate for the Barishal City Corporation election, says he will accept the result of the polls regardless of the outcome. He made the remark after casting his ballot at the Barishal Government College polling centre at 8am. He was the first voter at the centre.

“I call for everyone’s support in conducting a fair election,” the Awami League candidate said in response to a question from the media. “There can only be one winner. Even if the result goes against me, I will accept it. I will continue to provide support even if I lose.”

ELECTION IN RAJSHAHI

AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, the Awami League’s mayoral candidate in Rajshahi, says he is hopeful of winning by a margin of 70,000-75,000 votes and has urged ‘overenthusiastic’ supporters not to disrupt the polls.

“I have come to cast my ballot with my family,” said Liton, who spoke to the media at Rajshahi’s Satellite Town High School polling centre at 8:15am. “Voting is underway and there is a festive mood. We hope this atmosphere continues throughout the day.”

Asked about his hopes for the election, Liton said: “I urge everyone to ensure that the peaceful and orderly environment of the polls. I also urge the overenthusiastic not to cause any disturbances.”