Campaign for the elections to the two city corporations in Dhaka is going to kick off after the distribution of the electoral symbols by the Election Commission on Friday.
According to the electoral code of conduct, the candidates can start their campaign soon after the allocation of the electoral symbols.
A total of 758 candidates will contest for the posts of mayor, general councillor, and reserve councillor of the two city corporations.
On Thursday evening, returning officers of both the city corporations said that the symbols would be distributed from 9am on Friday. Mayors, general councillors and reserve councillors will get symbols chronologically.
On Thursday was the last day for withdrawal of nomination. No mayor candidate of both the city corporations has withdrawn their candidacy. After scrutiny of nomination forms, the commission declared six candidates for mayoral post in Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) while seven for the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) as legal candidates.
Bangladesh Awami League’s nominated mayoral candidate Atiqul Islam is contesting in DNCC, and Tabith Awal is contesting for the same post, nominated by BNP.
In DSCC, Ishraque Hossain, the son of former mayor of united Dhaka City Corporation Sadeque Hossain Khoka, is contesting for the mayor post as a BNP-nominated candidate against Awami League-nominated candidate Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh.
In DNCC, a total of 251 candidates will vie for general councillor posts while 77 will contest for reserve councillor seats.
In DSCC, 335 councillor candidates and 82 candidates for reserved councillor posts will take part in the contest.
DSCC Returning Officer Abdul Baten said: “460 nomination were considered legal for the councillor posts. Of them, 125 withdrew their nominations. 102 nominations were found to be valid for 25 reserve councillor posts. Of them, 20 withdrew their candidacy.
“None of seven mayoral candidates had withdrawn their candidacy,” he said.
DNCC Returning Officer Md Abul Kasem said: “For 54 general councillor posts, 362 candidates were considered as valid candidate after scrutiny. Of them, 111 withdrew their candidacy. Out of 92 candidates, 12 withdrew their candidature for the 18 reserve council posts.”
On December 22, the commission announced the election schedule. According to the schedule, December 31 was the last day for submitting nomination forms, while the last day for withdrawal was January 9.
According to the electoral code of conduct, there is no scope for campaign before symbol distribution.
The prime minister, speakers, ministers, chief whip, deputy speaker, opposition leader, deputy leader of parliament, deputy opposition leader, state ministers and similarly ranked people, members of parliament and mayors of the city corporations cannot participate in campaign activities, according to the election code of conducts.
The polling to the two city corporations is scheduled for January 30.Dhaka North City Corporation
