First female mayor in Panchagarh

Zakia Khatun, Awami League party candidate, general secretary of the district women’s Awami League and a member of the central Awami League, has unofficially won the mayoral election in Panchagarh municipality. 

She received 12,056 votes. Her closest rival and current mayor BNP joint convener Md Touhidul Islam received 9,475 votes. 

Besides, Jatiya Ganatantrik Party (JAGPA) candidate Shahriar Alam Biplob got 448 votes under the hookah symbol. 

Zakia, a resident of the Rajnagar area of the district, is an assistant teacher of Dr Abeda Hafeez School and College.

Returning Officer and District Election Officer Md Alamgir unofficially announced the results on Monday night.

Also Read- Awami League takes lead in first phase of municipality elections

This time the total number of voters in Panchagarh municipality is 35,011. This includes 17,151 male and 17,860 female voters. 

Among them, 21,167 people voted, 88 votes were canceled and 21,979 were valid. The turnout was 63.02%. 

Zakia will be the first female mayor of Panchagarh municipality.  Last year, she lost the mayoral election to BNP candidate Touhidul Islam. 

Describing the victory as a victory of the people and Sheikh Hasina, newly elected mayor Zakia said: “I am committed to fulfilling my promises.”

Meanwhile, Mostafa Kamal was elected in ward 1, Majedur Rahman Iran in ward 2, Arif Hossain in ward 3, Md Lutfar Rahman in ward 4, Hasnat Md Hamidur Rahman in ward 5, Shafiqul Islam in ward 6, Saidul Islam in ward 7, Ashraful Alam in ward 8 and Abdullah Al Mamun Babu in ward 9. 

In the reserved seats for women councillor, Beauty Begum was elected in wards 1, 2 and 3, Eliza Akhter in wards 4, 5 and 6 and Rahena Begum in wards 7, 8 and 9.