S M Mizanur Rahman :
All eyes are fixed on three City Corporations — Dhaka South City Corporation, Dhaka North City Corporation and Chittagong City Corporation as stage is set to hold polls simultaneously today (Tuesday).
Despite demands by the BNP-led 20-party alliance, the Election Commission (EC) is holding the City Corporation elections without deployment of army as a striking force. However, the army will act as a reserve force staying inside the Cantonment during polls, according to EC.
Some 80,000 law enforcers, including 5,000 RAB, have been deployed on election duty for four days starting from Sunday for the three City Corporations in Dhaka and Chittagong.
BNP mayoral candidate for Dhaka South City Corporation Mirza Abbas so far could not come to the field for electioneering because of arrest fear as a number of cases have been filed against him on various charges in different police stations in the capital.
Bringing allegations that the local administrations were harassing their supporters and trying to influence the polls in favour of ruling party-backed candidates, the BNP leaders said that if the government tries to manipulate the polls they would create strong resistance together with people.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission has completed all necessary preparations for holding the polls to the three Corporations in a free, fair and acceptable manner.
“We are fully prepared for Tuesday’s election to three city corporations in Dhaka and Chittagong,” EC Secretary Mohammad Sirajul Islam told The New Nation on Monday.
The transparent ballot boxes, ballot papers and indelible ink have already been dispatched to the polling centres. Presiding Officers, Assistant Presiding Officers and Polling Officers are already in their respective places of duty. Since Monday morning, the Returning Officers of the three City Corporations handed over election materials, including transparent ballot boxes and ballot papers, to the Presiding Officers. With unprecedented security measures already in force to ensure free, fair and impartial polling, the Election Commission (EC) has imposed a 48-hour ban on public meetings, processions, carrying of arms or any other programmes in any ward of bifurcated Dhaka and Chittagong City Corporation from Sunday midnight.
However, the army will be not deployed in the election areas as a striking force since they will act as a reserve force staying inside the Cantonment during elections.
They (the army) will stay inside the Cantonment as a reserve force and will act as striking a force to face the situation following the request of Returning Officers. Voting in the three City Corporations will begin at 8:00am and end at 4:00pm without any break.
The Public Administration Ministry has declared April 28 as a “public holiday” in areas under the Dhaka South and North City Corporations as well as the Chittagong City Corporation.
A total of 23,49,313 electorates in 36 Wards of DNCC and 18,70,363 voters in 57 Wards in DSCC will exercise their franchise in the polls. In Chittagong City Corporation, there are 41 wards and the total number of voters is 18,22,892.
The AL-backed Sayeed Khokan and Annisul Huq are contesting the Mayoral posts in DSCC and DNCC with the symbol of ‘hilsa fish’ and ‘table-clock’ respectively. On the other hand, BNP party-supported Mirza Abbas and Tabith Awal are contesting the mayoral race in DSCC and DNCC with the electoral symbol of ‘Mug’ and ‘Bus’ respectively.
Besides ruling AL and major political party BNP backed mayor candidates in the DNCC, Jatiya Party-backed candidate Bahauddin Ahmed Bablu with ‘Spindle’, Mahi B Chowdhury of Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh with ‘Eagle’, Junaid Saki of Gonosonghoti Andolon with ‘Telescope’, CPB-backed Abdullah Al Kafi Ratan with ‘Elephant’, JSD candidate Nader Chowdhury with ‘Peacock’, Md Shamsul Alam Chowdhury with ‘Leopard’, AYM Quamrul Islam with ‘Cricket bat’, Kazi Md Shahidullah with ‘Hilsa fish’, Moazzem Hossain Khan Majlish with ‘Flask’, Chowdury Irad Ahmed Siddique with ‘Gourd’, Md Anisuzzaman Khokon with ‘Dish antenna’, Md Jaman Bhuiyan with ‘Table’, Sheikh Shahiduzzaman with ‘Firebox’ and Sheikh Md Fazle Bari Maswood with ‘Orange’ are also in the mayoral race.
In the DSCC, Jatiya Party-backed candidate Saifuddin Ahmed Milon with election symbol ‘Sofa’, Islami Andolon of Charmonai-backed Abdur Rahman with ‘Flask’, BNP’s international affairs secretary Dr Asaduzzaman Ripon with ‘Orange’, former Awami League MP Golam Maula Roni with ‘Ring’, CPB-BSD-backed Bazlur Rashid Feroz with ‘Table’, JSD (Inu) candidate Abdul Khaleq with ‘Cake’, Bharatia Andolon candidate Baharane Sultan Bahar with ‘shirt’, journalist Dilip Bhadra with ‘Elephant’, journalist Ataullah with ‘Gourd’, Advocate Ayub Hossain with ‘Ship’, ASM Akram with ‘cricket bat’ and Shahidul Islam with ‘bus’ are also mayor aspirants.
Chittagong Bureau adds: AL-blessed mayor candidate AJM Nasir Uddin and BNP-backed mayor aspirany M Manjur Alam are contesting with the electoral symbol of ‘Elephant’ and ‘Orange’ respectively in the CCC polls.
In CCC, a total of 12 mayoral candidates are contesting in the polls in 41 Wards. Besides, AL and BNP-backed mayor contestants, Jatiya Party-backed Solaiman Alam Sheth with ‘Dish antenna’, Arif Moinuddin of BNF with ‘Bus’, Mujibul Haq Shukkur of Islamic Front with ‘Peacock’ and Shafiul Alam of JSD with ‘Hilsha fish’ are also in the mayoral race, among others.
Meanwhile, members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Ansar alongside that of police and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) have already been deployed in the election areas in Dhaka and Chittagong to maintain the law and order during polls.
Apart from that, magistrates, including judicial ones, have been engaged on election duty to deal with the incidents of election violence and breaching of the election code of conduct in the election areas. Except rickshaws and rickshaw-vans, the government on Sunday has imposed a ban on plying of all modes of vehicle in the three City Corporation areas of Dhaka and Chittagong from Monday midnight to Tuesday midnight.
However, vehicular movement on highways is outside the purview of the ban, and there is no directive on railway communications. The last election to the integrated Dhaka City Corporation was held on April 25, 2002 and the five-year tenure expired on May 14, 2007. On November 29, 2011, the government split DCC into two bodies — DSCC comprising 57 Wards and DNCC covering 36 Wards.
The last Dhaka city mayor was BNP leader Sadek Hossain Khoka, who had an extended term in office by several years. Chittagong is holding polls on the expiry of the regular tenure of the incumbent BNP-backed mayor.
