The two frontrunners in the Comilla city mayoral race, Arfanul Haque Rifat and Monirul Haque Sakku, have cast their votes in the election to the city corporation.
Rifat, the ruling Awami League-backed candidate, exercised his franchise at the Comilla Victoria Collegiate School centre, while Sakku, whom the BNP has expelled for life for contesting the polls defying the party’s stance, voted at the Hossamia Lutfnnessa Girls School centre – both at around 9am on Wednesday.
“I am 100% optimistic about winning,” Rifat told reporters.
Meanwhile, Sakku said: “‘So far the voting situation is looking good. However, EVMs are very slow, which is why voting is being delayed.”
Wednesday’s voting began at 8am and will continue until 4pm without any break.
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A total of 229,920 voters will exercise their voting rights using EVMs at 105 centres.
Five candidates are vying for the office of mayor.
Security around the city has been beefed up to prevent any untoward incidents.
It is the third election to the Comilla City Corporation after its formation in 2011 and the first under the new Election Commission.
The last Comilla city election was held on Mar 30, 2017, which saw then-BNP leader Sakku getting elected mayor for a second term.
