Shamim votes for Ivy, shows his ballot in Narayanganj city election

Awami League's Shamim Osman demonstrates his support for Selina Hayat Ivy by holding up the ballot paper stamped on the AL symbol at Narayanganj Bar Academy on Thursday. Photo: asaduzzaman pramanik
Awami League's Shamim Osman demonstrates his support for Selina Hayat Ivy by holding up the ballot paper stamped on the AL symbol at Narayanganj Bar Academy on Thursday. Photo: asaduzzaman pramanik
Awami League leader Shamim Osman stamps his ballot in public to vote for Selina Hayat Ivy in what appeared to be an attempt to disprove his rivalry with his party's mayor candidate. Photo taken at the Bar Academy during Narayanganj city election on Thursday. Photo: asaduzzaman pramanik

The Awami League leader was seen voting for his party at the Bar Academy centre for the Narayanganj city election on Thursday.

He then held up the white ballot for the mayor post to journalists. The pink and green ballots for councillor posts could be seen folded in his hand.

Shamim Osman, an influential figure in the river port city, has long been a rival of Selina Hayat Ivy, the Awami League mayor candidate in this election being held in party lines.

In 2011, after a bitter campaign, Ivy became the city’s first mayor defeating Selim Osman by a margin of more than 100,000 votes.

While it is clearly illegal to vote in full public view, Shamim’s move to reveal his ballot is being seen as an effort to convince critics that “he no longer had any issues with Ivy”.

Journalists asked if he was violating the code to disprove his rift with Ivy, to which he said: “I’ve bloodied myself for the sake of news.”

He claimed Ivy’s victory was sealed. “Her victory is a sure thing – so I will get ice cream or buy them for everyone. The Awami League’s ‘boat’ will triumph.”