Staff Reporter :
Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) will go for mayoral and councillor elections on January 16.
But concerns are high over the election to NCC in the aftermath of massive violence and irregularities that had marred the elections to the union councils.
However, the electoral campaigns are going in on full swing with allegations and counter allegations of the two key mayoral aspirants– Awami League candidate Dr Selina Hayat Ivy and independent candidate Advocate Taimur Alam Khandaker.
Meanwhile, councilor and reserved women councilor candidates are also active with the electoral campaigns. They are also giving various promises and leaflets are being distributed. Relatives and supporters are campaigning with the mayoral and councilor candidates, reports our Narayanganj Correspondent.
Around 5,00,000 voters are expected to cast their votes in the polls to elect a mayor, 27 ward councillors and nine women councillors from the reserved seats in the city that comes into the national spotlight in recent years following the sensational seven murders.
“Development has been done in every ward of the city corporation and implementation of many projects is underway. I have never made false promises to people…. I have never done anything wrong. My supporters and I have never involved in extortion and terrorism. Above all, the people will judge me,” said Ivy, a physician and the first and the incumbent mayor of Narayanganj City Corporation.
She won 2016 NCC elections and the maiden one held in 2011.
“I’ve been campaigning for the last five days. Wherever I go, I request people to rise above party views and stand by my side. I am optimistic about winning the polls race this time also,” she told reporters while campaigning in Ward No. 6 of Siddhirganj on Monday morning.
Commenting on the election, Ivy said, “Fair and neutral elections have always been held in the NCC. I hope the Election Commission this time also will present a fair election”
When asked, Ivy said, “It will be important to complete the ongoing development works and make it a child-friendly city with a play ground in each ward. I want to make Narayanganj a green city by preserving water bodies and ponds. Besides, I want to ensure safe drinking water for the city people.”
She alleged that a vested qurter is spreading false propaganda against her raising religious issues and sentiments. I never ordered to demolish the mosque, occupied the place of the temple. So far, we have built seven new mosques in Narayanganj city.
“The support of the voters has always been with me, and I belive it still prevails, she said, adding, “Inshallah, the boat will win the election on January 16 by a big margin getting the support of city people,” said Ivy, the daughter of former Narayanganj municipal chairman Ali Ahmed Chunka.
She also said election means challenge and she was ready to face this challenge.
Regarding the use of EVM, she said, “The opposition candidates are worried about it but I’m not doing so because in the NCC election of 2011, voting was done smoothly through EVM in some polling stations. This election will also be held fairly and impartially using EVM.”
On the otherhand, Independent candiodate Advocate Taimur Alam Khandaker, advisor to the BNP chairperson, said, “I have raised from the root level. I have worked with rickshaw union and wheelbarrow union. I was and I’m always with the people… I have spent my life beside ordinary people.”
“I had made the proposal of NCC. After the election, I was removed from the party. This time there is no interference of BNP, and this time I stood for electon with the mandate of the people.”
Khandaker also said, “The city dwellers are now united, they want change. You will see the results on January 18. I understand the pulse of the people and I will work to understand what the people need first”.
He made the remarks during election campaign in Narayanganj city’s Kheyaghat area.
When asked, Khandaker said, “No development is visible in NCC. No park, no project is coming to an end. But the budget is increasing every year. The city corporation has become a corporate syndicate of a few contractors. People want to make the city corporation free from this syndicate.”
“Still a good election atmosphere is prevailing. The EC should maintain it to ensure a fair and impartial election,” he said, adding, “But the concerns are shrouding over the use of EVMs as voters have little trust on e-voting amidst experiences of electoral malpractice.”
Mufti Masum Billah, the mayoral candidate nominated by Islami Andolan Bangladesh in NCC election, has said that EVM (Electronic Voting Machine) voting will be held in Narayanganj.
“As we have said before, EVM is a ‘deception’ machine”.
“What we have seen and understood in the Fatullah UP election is that the candidate with ‘hand fan symbol has won by a huge margin. But the EVM’s manipulation has shown us defeat. If there is manipulation in NCC election, if our agent is expelled then that center will be blocked immediately. Narayanganj will be blocked”, he said
He said this at a street rally in Siddhirganj on Saturday.
Narayanganj Returning Officer Mahfuza Akhter said every step necessary was taken to make NCC polls free and fair. Besides, clean campaigns were going on and no candidate has violated rules.
“We hope that voters will come to the centers overwhelmingly taking advantage of congenial election environment,” she added.
The Election Commission is holding the NCC election in the final leg of its tenure. The Nurul Huda’s EC, which had been termed ‘a puppet of the government,’ runs its term in February.
“We want an election atmosphere where we can exercise our voting rights properly. The current trend of voting and use of EVM make us worried whether we can cast ballot freely or not. We have a little trust on EVM and the outgoing EC,” said Monir Hossain (not real name), a resident of the Narayanganj city.
“The election environment is still conducive. But the EC should play strong role so that candidates abide by electoral code of conduct properly,” Badiul Alam Majumdar, Secretary of Sushasoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan) told The New Nation yesterday.
He also urged the government to extend its full cooperation to the Election Commission for holding Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) polls in a free and fair manner.
Shujan, a civil society platform, earlier placed 13-point recommendation to ensure fair polls in NCC.
Dr. Badiul Alam Majumdar said, “We do not believe that the outgoing EC led by KM Nurul Huda can hold a free and fair election. But the ongoing situation and circumstances seem that this time NCC elections will be held at peaceful manner”.
He informed that Shujan is going to organise a debate programme with NCC mayoral candidates as early as possible.
