Drawing voters out biggest challenge as Rajshahi, Sylhet cities set to go to polls Wednesday

With the Islami Andolan Bangladesh or IAB staying out of the remainder of the city polls and the BNP's absence taking away some of the shine, elections in Rajshahi and Sylhet city corporations on Wednesday are likely to be dreary affairs.

Like in Gazipur, Khulna and Barishal, voters will use electronic voting machines to pick their preferred candidates, running for mayor and councillor positions, from 8am to 4pm.

Election Commission officials will remotely monitor the voting situation in each polling centre via CCTV live telecast.

The image of the Jatiya Party, officially the main opposition in parliament, was massively dented in the previous three city polls as its candidates received very few votes since they failed to make any impression on the electorates.

Analysts say the absence of the IAB and the Jatiya Party’s less-than-effective campaigning have made the election of Rajshahi’s AHM Khairuzzaman Liton and Md Anwaruzzaman Chowdhury, both mayoral candidates nominated by the ruling Awami League, a mere formality.

Liton and Anwaruzzaman’s sole challenge is getting voters to come out, as the turnouts in the previous three polls earlier this month and in May were poor.

Local people in both the cities, however, said the races among candidates for councillors to enter the city halls might be exciting.

The Election Commission assured voters that it would ensure law and order during the the vote in both the cities.

The IAB announced the boycott of the city polls in protest against an attack on its candidate in Barishal earlier this month.