Publish : 16 Jan 2022, 12:01 AMUpdate : 14 Oct 2022, 07:06 PM
Security has been beefed up at all wards and polling centres amid tension and festivity around Narayanganj city as its people choose the new mayor through the election on Sunday.
The election is taking place amid the pandemic but adhering to the health safety guidelines issued by the government to prevent a further surge in Covid-19 cases.
On the eve of the voting day, incumbent mayor and Awami League candidate Selina Hayat Ivy expressed confidence in bagging a hat-trick of victories, while ousted BNP leader and independent candidate Taimur Alam Khandaker accused election officials and local administration of interfering.
The Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) election will be closely watched across the country as it is one of the final tests for the outgoing Election Commission.
Campaigning for the election came to a close without any major incidents on Friday. Voting will begin at 8am and continue till 4pm on Sunday without any break. As many as 2,000 Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were sent to 193 polling centres under 27 wards on Saturday.
Over 517,000 residents of the city are expected to cast their votes on Sunday.
Syed Zakir Hossain/Dhaka Tribune
Seven candidates are contesting in the mayoral race, while 148 candidates will contest in general councillor posts. Moreover, 34 aspirants will contest for the reserved councillor seats for women.
NCC polls Returning Officer Mahfuza Akter said: “Only a few centres have CCTV cameras. All centres do not have it. We will keep confidentiality; the cameras will be turned off during voting.”
She added that extra EVMs had been sent to centres and technical teams were on standby to tackle any mechanical glitches.
Dhaka Tribune
“We are working with the district administration and police to maintain law and order,” she further said.
Exclusively on EVMs
This will be the first election in the country that will be held exclusively on EVMs.
District election office sources said EVMs had been sent to Wards 10 and 11 of NCC from the Morgan Girls High School polling centre. Polling materials were sent to Wards 1-9 from Siddhirganj Powerhouse School centre.
Taimur: Won’t boycott polls
Nothing, not even arrest, would stop him from contesting the NCC election, mayoral candidate Taimur said on Saturday.
“My supporters and campaigners are being arrested, but we will not boycott the election under any circumstances, even if I am arrested or killed,” he said.
Speaking at a news briefing, Taimur, whom the BNP removed from its advisory council for contesting in this election, said he would win by a massive margin.
Dhaka Tribune
“All that I can say to the administration is that your responsibility is to serve the people. I have requested that they stop harassing my supporters several times, and now I leave it to their conscience,” he said.
Taimur said most of his supporters who had been arrested were in charge of running his campaign in several areas of the city.
In the last NCC polls, he had withdrawn his candidature at the last moment, reportedly at the instruction of senior BNP leaders.
Law enforcers alert
District and police sources said a total of 76 police units, 64 mobile teams, 65 RAB teams and 14 platoons of BGB have already been deployed in and around the city corporation area.
Six more platoons of BGB will also be deployed on Sunday.
To prevent election-related violence, one executive magistrate, five police personnel, eight Ansar men and five Ansar women will be on guard at each polling centre.
Naryanganj Deputy Commissioner Mustain Billah said: “All preparations regarding the election have been taken. Law enforcement agencies and polling officials have also reached their designated areas.”
The district’s Superintendent of Police Jayedul Alam said: “We are trying to deploy a single platoon of BGB personnel in each ward. Besides, a five- or six-member police team will also work, led by an SI. Check post and patrol teams will be installed at important areas.”
He added that no one would be allowed to roam around unnecessarily, and safety measures had been taken at the polling centres to maintain Covid-19 protocols.
He added that no outsiders would be allowed to enter Narayanganj during the election, and those aged over 18 who were already in the city would need to produce their National IDs.
“We want this to be a model election in the country. Stern action will be taken if anyone tries to interfere,” he added.
RAB 11 CEO Tanvir Pasha said: “We will work till the day after the election. We will do whatever is required to avert violence.”
Narayanganj elects its mayor Sunday
Over 517,000 residents of the city are expected to cast their votes
Security has been beefed up at all wards and polling centres amid tension and festivity around Narayanganj city as its people choose the new mayor through the election on Sunday.
The election is taking place amid the pandemic but adhering to the health safety guidelines issued by the government to prevent a further surge in Covid-19 cases.
On the eve of the voting day, incumbent mayor and Awami League candidate Selina Hayat Ivy expressed confidence in bagging a hat-trick of victories, while ousted BNP leader and independent candidate Taimur Alam Khandaker accused election officials and local administration of interfering.
The Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) election will be closely watched across the country as it is one of the final tests for the outgoing Election Commission.
Campaigning for the election came to a close without any major incidents on Friday. Voting will begin at 8am and continue till 4pm on Sunday without any break. As many as 2,000 Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were sent to 193 polling centres under 27 wards on Saturday.
Over 517,000 residents of the city are expected to cast their votes on Sunday.
Seven candidates are contesting in the mayoral race, while 148 candidates will contest in general councillor posts. Moreover, 34 aspirants will contest for the reserved councillor seats for women.
NCC polls Returning Officer Mahfuza Akter said: “Only a few centres have CCTV cameras. All centres do not have it. We will keep confidentiality; the cameras will be turned off during voting.”
She added that extra EVMs had been sent to centres and technical teams were on standby to tackle any mechanical glitches.
“We are working with the district administration and police to maintain law and order,” she further said.
Exclusively on EVMs
This will be the first election in the country that will be held exclusively on EVMs.
District election office sources said EVMs had been sent to Wards 10 and 11 of NCC from the Morgan Girls High School polling centre. Polling materials were sent to Wards 1-9 from Siddhirganj Powerhouse School centre.
Taimur: Won’t boycott polls
Nothing, not even arrest, would stop him from contesting the NCC election, mayoral candidate Taimur said on Saturday.
“My supporters and campaigners are being arrested, but we will not boycott the election under any circumstances, even if I am arrested or killed,” he said.
Speaking at a news briefing, Taimur, whom the BNP removed from its advisory council for contesting in this election, said he would win by a massive margin.
“All that I can say to the administration is that your responsibility is to serve the people. I have requested that they stop harassing my supporters several times, and now I leave it to their conscience,” he said.
Taimur said most of his supporters who had been arrested were in charge of running his campaign in several areas of the city.
In the last NCC polls, he had withdrawn his candidature at the last moment, reportedly at the instruction of senior BNP leaders.
Law enforcers alert
District and police sources said a total of 76 police units, 64 mobile teams, 65 RAB teams and 14 platoons of BGB have already been deployed in and around the city corporation area.
Six more platoons of BGB will also be deployed on Sunday.
To prevent election-related violence, one executive magistrate, five police personnel, eight Ansar men and five Ansar women will be on guard at each polling centre.
Naryanganj Deputy Commissioner Mustain Billah said: “All preparations regarding the election have been taken. Law enforcement agencies and polling officials have also reached their designated areas.”
The district’s Superintendent of Police Jayedul Alam said: “We are trying to deploy a single platoon of BGB personnel in each ward. Besides, a five- or six-member police team will also work, led by an SI. Check post and patrol teams will be installed at important areas.”
He added that no one would be allowed to roam around unnecessarily, and safety measures had been taken at the polling centres to maintain Covid-19 protocols.
He added that no outsiders would be allowed to enter Narayanganj during the election, and those aged over 18 who were already in the city would need to produce their National IDs.
“We want this to be a model election in the country. Stern action will be taken if anyone tries to interfere,” he added.
RAB 11 CEO Tanvir Pasha said: “We will work till the day after the election. We will do whatever is required to avert violence.”
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