Staff Reporter :
The month-long hectic campaigns of mayoral aspirants and councillor contenders ended Sunday midnight.
The Khulna Returning, Officer Yunus Ali, and the law enforcing agencies have ensured that the election related materials such as ballot boxes and ballot papers have been sent to the respective centers by Monday.
The main contest will be held between Awami League-backed mayor candidate Talukdar Abdul Khaleque (Boat Symbol) and BNP-backed mayor aspirant Nazrul Islam Manju (Sheaf of Paddy). The other candidates are Islami Andolon-backed Mowlana Muzammel Haque, JP-backed Shafiqur Rahman Mushfiq and CPB-backed Mizanur Rahman Babu.
On August 23 in 1988, Khulna Pourasabha turned into Khulna City Corporation. Kazi Aminul Haque, a Jatiya Party leader, was selected mayor of Khulna on May 22 in 1991, while Sheikh Tayebur Rahman, a central leader of BNP, was elected mayor twice in 1994 and 2002.
Besides, there are 148 general councillor aspirants racing in 31 Wards, while 39 women are contesting against 10 female reserved seats.
According to Election Commission, Khulna office, the number of voters in KCC is 4,93,093. Of them, 2,44,107 are female voters and 2,48,986 male.
There are 289 polling centres; 1561 polling booths and 55 temporary booths. Out of 289 polling centres, 234 centres are either very important or vulnerable, says Sonali Sen, additional deputy commissioner of KMP.
The Election Commission has decided to use Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) at Ward No-24 where only female voters (1,099) will cast their votes through EVM at the women’s booth of Sonapota Government Primary School and at Jasim Uddin Hostel centre of Ward No. 28 where there are 1,879 voters.
Khulna Returning Officer Md. Younus Ali said that the EC of Khulna has already selected 289 presiding officers, 1561 assistant presiding officers, and 3122 polling officers.
A total of 1810 ballot boxes will be used for the KCC polls, he said.
On the other hand, a team of 24 policemen along with armed police battalion, Ansars, VDP men led by a Sub-Inspector will be deployed on Tuesday in each of the important centres while 22 police and Ansar men will be deployed in each general centers. They will also continue their duty after the poll day, said the Returning officer.
A total of 70 mobile teams and 10 striking forces will be patrolling the polling centres, a Sub-Inspector being in charge of four centres.
Over 10,000 law enforcers, including about 16 platoons BGB, 32 sector party and 10 striking force team of RAB, one mobile force in each Ward, one striking force for every three Wards and one RAB team in every two Wards, will be deployed on the day of polling.
KMP Additional Deputy Commissioner Sonali Sen said, “KMP has already deployed all police teams to supervise the election peacefully.”
A control room has been opened at the KMP headquarters to work round the clock. Around seven check posts have been set up at various entrances of the city, she added.
Meanwhile, hundreds of local and foreign observers are also ready to oversee the poll process. The movement of all vehicles, including Mahendra (baby-taxi), battery run easy bikes, jeeps, pick-ups, microbuses, buses, private cars and motorcycles have been stopped from May 13 midnight to May 15 midnight, except the vehicles which are used for the election purpose, said a press release issued by KMP.
Carrying of all kinds of licensed firearms and explosive materials has also been prohibited in the city area.
